ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biodiversity

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has made an assessment of the likely effects on biodiversity of land use, land use change and forestry projects in the Clean Development Mechanism

Richard Benyon: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker) on 19 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 75-76W.

Common Agricultural Policy

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the EU to approve arrangements for post-2013 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

James Paice: EU negotiations on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will begin following the European Commission's Communication on CAP, which will be published towards the end of 2010. Detailed legislative proposals are due in 2011. Negotiations should conclude in time for the start of the next Financial Perspective in 2014.

Common Agricultural Policy

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2013.

James Paice: We want to see a competitive, thriving and sustainable EU agriculture sector. Ambitious reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is needed to enable farmers to rise to the challenges and opportunities of the future. Reform must deliver good value for money for farmers, taxpayers, consumers and the environment. It must prepare the agriculture sector for the long term, be affordable, be significantly better at delivering public benefits and reduce the burden of regulation on farmers.

Departmental Buildings

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many separate buildings her Department occupies in  (a) London and  (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Richard Benyon: The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which is defined as the core Department and executive agencies, occupies:
	 (a) Six sites in London and
	 (b) 107 sites across the rest of the UK.
	A number of these sites accommodate staff from departmental delivery bodies and other Government Departments.

Departmental Civil Servants

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many employees of her Department attended Civil Service Live in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and what estimate she has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to her Department of such attendance in each such year.

Richard Benyon: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by the private company Dods (the publishers of Civil Service World), who bear all of the financial risks.
	The overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. Departments do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends.
	Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live events. Travel and subsistence costs for individuals attending the event will be met in line with the Department's rules.

Departmental Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by her Department for this purpose.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has a Diversity Team in place to help ensure that DEFRA complies with equality legislation and develops and implements strategies that actively promote equality and diversity throughout the organisation and its provision of services.
	The Department's spend for staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years and the number of people who are employed by the Department for this purpose are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   Department's diversity spend (Diversity Team budget) (£)  Staff costs (£)  Number of  s taff employed by Diversity Team( 1) 
			 2007-08 260,000 156,800 4 
			 2008-09 140,000 191,506 4 
			 2009-10 124,000 231,261 4.5 
			 (1) The figures represent base salary, earning related national insurance contributions (ERNIC) and employer's superannuation costs. The figures take account of part-time hours, changes in staff profile and proportion of time spent on diversity issues. 
		
	
	The staff cost of the Diversity Team has reduced to £134,380 for 2010-11. This is the result of a strategic decision to move towards embedding diversity throughout the organisation. This has resulted in the number of staff employed by the Diversity Team having reduced to 2.2.

Departmental Internet

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much  (a) her Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on website design in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The DEFRA website has undergone a single redesign since the creation of the department in 2001. This went live on 17 September 2009 and external costs for this (for audience research, web structure analysis, design and accessibility auditing) totalled £181,378. It is not possible to separate out the internal staff costs for this work.
	The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) website design was completed in 31 March 2009. The cost of external website design company work was £11,643.75. Of this cost, approximately £2,250 would come under the heading of 'Strategy and planning', the remainder would come under the heading 'Design and build'. The website is hosted on Fera's own IT infrastructure and it is not possible to disaggregate the costs associated with hosting the website. 'Content provision' and 'Testing and evaluation' were all carried out in house. It is not possible to separate out the internal staff costs for this work.
	The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) has spent a total of £42,500 on design for their website since 1997.
	The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) website was redesigned in the financial year 2005-06. A project to enable Single Payment scheme customers to submit and track their applications online has been running since 2008 with the functionality made widely available in 2010. The data required to provide information on costs for website design from these projects is not held in a form that is easily accessible and as such this information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Cattle Tracing System Online transactional website, which enables farmers to submit cattle birth and movement data directly to RPA's central tracing system was completely rebuilt during 2008 and 2009 using new hardware and software. This provided enhanced functionality and security through the Government Gateway at a total project cost of £3,959,270. Most of the cost was on developing and testing hardware and software to support the interactive transactional services to customers. The spend on web design, which cannot be separated from the total spend, was a small proportion of the overall cost.
	The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) website was redesigned during 2007-08 to improve its template design, navigation and accessibility. The new site went live on 29 April 2008 and external costs totalled £9,394.13.
	Between 1997 and 2008 the Environment Agency spent approximately £40,000 on website design. The Agency's Internet Website, Intranet and the NetRegs Website were redesigned during 2008. The Intranet went live in August 2008 and the Website and NetRegs in December 2008. Because most of the templates are shared, it is impossible to extract costs for the Website alone. The external costs for this work (template design, prototype creation, user testing of prototypes and accessibility review) was £88,590. It is not possible to provide internal staff costs for this work.
	Natural England vested in October 2006. The design and information architecture costs for the new Natural England website in October 2006 were £17,610. The redesign of the Natural England website went live in February 2009. The design and information architecture costs for this work were £53,991.
	The Animal Health Agency (known as the State Veterinary Service prior to 2007) came into existence in 2005. The Agency spent £8,000 during 2009-10 to redesign its web pages to match the new DEFRA templates. It is intended that the refreshed pages will go-live during July 2010.
	The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) spent approximately £30,000 in 2005 on redesigning their website. In 2009-10 they spent a further £37,323.29 on design. This work is still ongoing with a planned launch date of autumn 2010.
	The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has spent a total of £6,900 on design since 1997.
	The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has re-developed its website a couple of times since 1997. Specific figures are not available for earlier work. Following comments from users the VMD is in the process of re-designing its website and costs to date (all internal staff costs) are £17,618.
	The Drinking Water Inspectorate spent approximately £5,000 on redesign work in 2009.
	In 2005 the existing Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) site was redesigned to improve accessibility, transparency and usability. The cost of this was £3,307.50.
	The Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) is an NDPB created in April 2007. External costs for website design/update work have to date totalled £496.88.
	I understand that other agencies and non-departmental public bodies have not carried out redesigns of their websites during this period.

Departmental Manpower

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The HR profession across Whitehall has only centrally collected the cost of human resources for Departments from 2008 onwards. It should also be recognised that there have been significant organisational changes for human resources activities in DEFRA since 1997, which makes like for like comparison from year to year very difficult. As a result data prior to 2008 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following data are available for spend on Human Resources in core DEFRA and its agencies in 2008-09:
	
		
			  Organisation  HR function cost (£000) 
			 Animal Health Agency 1,918 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 854 
			 Core DEFRA 8,034 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency (CSL)(1) 761 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency 500 
			 Rural Payments Agency 8,139 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 1,250 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 416 
			 Total 21,872 
			 (1) The Food and Environment Research Agency was established on 1 April 2009 comprising the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), Plant Health, Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorates (PHSI), the Government Decontamination Service (GDS), and the Plants Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division. Data are only available for CSL. 
		
	
	The costs for Human Resources in 2009-2010 are currently unavailable.

Departmental Marketing

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her  (a) Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The DEFRA logo was designed when the Department was established in 2001. It was prepared as part of the branding and was not costed separately. The logo has remained the same since the Department was established and there has been no expenditure on the design.
	Information on the cost of logo design in DEFRA's agencies and non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Flood Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total estimated monetary value is of flood defence assets in England; and what the estimated cost of maintaining those assets is in each of the next three years.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency estimates the replacement value of flood defence assets in England to be at least £30 billion (at 2005 prices). The Environment Agency maintains an estimated £20 billion of these assets and third parties maintain an estimated £10 billion.
	The estimated cost of maintaining the Environment Agency's flood defence assets is £210 million annually for the next three years. The cost for third parties to maintain their assets is unknown.

Flood Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what flood defence schemes are in the planning stage; and what the target  (a) start and  (b) completion date is for work on each scheme.

Richard Benyon: The figures in the following table show the capital schemes with flood defence grant in aid (FDGiA) funding in 2010-11 in England that are currently in the appraisal stage, are estimated to have a final value of more than £250,000. Estimated construction start and completion dates are also given.
	Progress of these schemes depends on many factors, including the strength of priority within their business cases, support within each community, appropriate planning and other consents, and the availability of funding. This includes both national grants paid for by general taxation, and local contributions in recognition of the significant benefits to householders, businesses, developers, utilities, land owners and others being delivered through better protection from the damaging consequences of flood events.
	
		
			  Region  Project name  Estimated construction start date  Estimated construction completion date 
			 Anglian Boston Barrage/Barrier Works 1 April 2014 31 March 2015 
			 Anglian Boston Haven Works 3 September 2012 31 March 2014 
			 Anglian Cromer Coastal Protection Scheme 982 1 October 2011 31 March 2030 
			 Anglian Easton Broad Flood Management Project tbc tbc 
			 Anglian Minsmere Flood Management Project 31 July 2011 30 December 2011 
			 Anglian Nene Locks Reversal Termination 30 January 2011 28 February 2012 
			 Anglian Nether Heyford Flood Alleviation Scheme 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Anglian Paston Brook Culverts Improvements 1 April 2013 1 November 2013 
			 Anglian Steeping River and Wainfleet FRC 1 April 2013 31 March 2014 
			 Midlands Bottle Brook-Lower Kilburn 30 September 2011 31 March 2013 
			 Midlands Erewash-Stapleford 30 September 2011 31 March 2014 
			 Midlands Lower Derwent Project Appraisal Report 1 December 2012 1 March 2015 
			 Midlands Lubbesthorpe Brook 1 September 2011 1 March 2012 
			 Midlands Newark Brewers Wharf 1 April 2011 31 March 2012 
			 Midlands Refurbishment of Burton Walls 1 June 2011 31 March 2012 
			 Midlands Refurbishment of Wooton Wawen Defences 1 July 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Midlands River Leen 30 September 2011 31 March 2013 
			 Midlands Sandyford Brook 30 May 2011 31 December 2012 
			 Midlands Sparkhill FAS 1 April 2012 1 March 2013 
			 North East Farnley Wood Beck 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 North East Greatham North 1 May 2013 1 July 2015 
			 North East Leeds City 1 October 2012 3 January 2019 
			 North East Morpeth Flood Alleviation Scheme 1 December 2011 1 December 2013 
			 North East Northallerton 15 September 2012 15 December 2013 
			 North East Port Clarence and Greatham South 30 April 2013 1 September 2014 
			 North East Scheme Arising from Seaton Carew Coastal Strategy: Seaton Carew Town Frontage 30 April 2011 31 March 2012 
			 North East Water End (Cell B3) 31 May 2012 31 December 2013 
			 North West Keswick flood Defence Improvement Scheme 1 May 2012 31 March 2013 
			 South West Congresbury Yeo Tidal Banks 1 April 2012 30 October 2014 
			 South West Exeter Flood Alleviation Scheme 1 December 2013 30 September 2015 
			 South West New Feniton Flood Alleviation 1 May 2012 1 January 2013 
			 South West Parrett Estuary-Cannington Bends 1 February 2012 1 May 2015 
			 South West Steart Managed Realignment 1 June 2012 1 April 2014 
			 South West Stoke Canon Culm Flood Alleviation Scheme 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Southern Cleve Hill Farm-Habitat Creation 30 September 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Southern Coronation Parade Works 1 September 2011 31 May 2012 
			 Southern FCEP2-Broomhill Sands Coastal Defence Scheme 1 August 2011 1 September 2013 
			 Southern FCEP3-Lydd Ranges Scheme 1 April 2011 1 May 2020 
			 Southern FCEP5-Romney Sands 1 October 2011 1 February 2017 
			 Southern Hythe to Folkestone Beach Management 10 September 2013 30 October 2018 
			 Southern Littlehampton Arun Tidal Defences East Bank 1 October 2012 1 March 2014 
			 Southern Medmerry Managed Realignment 1 March 2012 1 August 2014 
			 Southern Milton Creek Outfall 1 April 2011 1 March 2013 
			 Southern Portsea Island-Flood Cell 1: Southsea-Development tbc tbc 
			 Southern Portsea Island-Flood Cell 4: North Portsea Island-Development tbc tbc 
			 Southern Scheme Sandwich Bay to Deal Castle 1 April 2015 31 March 2017 
			 Southern Shoreham Adur Tidal Walls West Bank 1 October 2012 1 March 2014 
			 Thames Cargo Package 9 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Thames Ching Brook 1 May 2012 30 November 2014 
			 Thames Graveney Channel Fencing and Future Maintain H&S 1 April 2012 1 March 2014 
			 Thames Greenwich Package 14 1 April 2011 31 March 2012 
			 Thames Hammersmith and Fulham Package 7 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Thames Minoco Wharf 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Thames NE Area Access Ramps 30 May 2011 30 November 2014 
			 Thames Oxford Short Term Measures 2 30 June 2011 31 March 2012 
			 Thames River Wey Strategy-Works From 1 April 2013 31 March 2013 
			 Thames St Lenards Wharf BC005_02 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Thames Town Quay Package 8 1 April 2012 31 March 2013 
			 Thames Turnford Brook Access Improvements 30 July 2011 31 March 2013

Flood Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on flood defence in each year between 1999-2000 and 2010-11; and what estimate she has made of the number of additional properties protected by schemes completed in each of those years.

Richard Benyon: The table provides a breakdown of funding to the Environment Agency for flood risk management between 1999-2000 and 2010-11 and the number of households protected. The household figures for 1999-2000 to 2002-03 are not held centrally and therefore unavailable.
	The figures are based upon the annual report and accounts and Board Papers of the Environment Agency. These sums relate to Flood Defence Grant In Aid, excluding non-programmed items, and other income such as Regional Flood and Coastal Committee levies, Internal Drainage Board precept and contributions.
	
		
			   EA total England (£ million)  Households protected 
			 1999-2000 235.0 - 
			 2000-01 248.9 - 
			 2001-02 285.6 - 
			 2002-03 309.8 - 
			 2003-04 331.3 17,623 
			 2004-05 355.6 29,948 
			 2005-06 420.6 52,630 
			 2006-07 419.2 28,409 
			 2007-08 438.9 31,505 
			 2008-09 495.3 29,414 
			 2009-10 548.6 68,168 
			 2010-11 (1)567.8 (2)- 
			 (1) Budgeted. (2) To be confirmed. 
		
	
	In April 2006 the Environment Agency took on responsibility for the administration of capital grants payable to local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs). This was under delegation from DEFRA for all schemes promoted under the Land Drainage Act and for schemes under the Coast Protection Act from April 2008.
	In accordance with this, and in addition to the sums shown in the above table, the following figures were allocated to local authorities and IDBs.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Local authorities  IDBs 
			 2007-08 49 14 
			 2008-09 54 9 
			 2009-10 54 10 
			 2010-11 47 14

Flood Control: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve flood defences in Witham constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is investigating the provision of flood resilience measures, to improve protection to properties in Witham and upstream in the River Blackwater catchment.
	The Environment Agency undertakes an annual programme of maintenance on rivers and tidal defences in the Witham constituency to maintain the current standard of flood protection.

Flood Control: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding her Department allocated to flood defence measures in Witham constituency in the last 12 months.

Richard Benyon: In the last 12 months to April 2010, the Environment Agency spent £540,000 in the Witham constituency. Expenditure included work on flood defence maintenance (£460,000), flood incident response and developing proposals to protect properties in and around Witham.

Inland Waterways

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to protect and enhance the canal network.

Richard Benyon: We recognise that the canal network is a vibrant resource which provides a wide range of public benefits. There has been significant public and private investment in the canal network over recent years, and British Waterways' grant from DEFRA remains at the significant sum of £51.3 million this year. British Waterways manages its maintenance programme using a risk-based approach in order to ensure that its network remains in a reasonable and safe condition, and is engaged in a number of improvement projects.
	We are currently considering the possible movement of British Waterways in to the civil society, and this has the potential to make a significant, and innovative, contribution to the long term sustainability and resilience of the waterways by providing additional income and greater engagement of all users, volunteers and local communities in waterways management. Decisions will be made in the context of the forthcoming spending review.

Inland Waterways

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department has allocated to research and development in respect of reliable and sustainable water infrastructure.

Richard Benyon: The budget in 2010-11 for research and development under the Water Availability and Quality programme is around £2.7 million, of which around £500,000 is allocated to research and development on water efficiency and water supply.
	Water companies also fund their own research and development.

Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of implementation of the provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 on Witham constituency.

Richard Benyon: A thorough assessment of the effect of the provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill 2009 was made during its passage through Parliament. The impact assessment for the resulting Act can be found at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/documents/legislation/marine-ia-0410.pdf
	This sets out that parts 1 to 8 of the Act are expected to provide average annual benefits in the range of £753-1,654 million, together with various non-monetised benefits, for an average annual cost of £41-81 million. Assessments are not made at constituency level. Proposals on how different parts of the Act are to be implemented are being put forward for public consultation and are accompanied by individual impact assessments.

National Parks

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the accountability to the public of governance structures of national parks.

Richard Benyon: Since the end of May two parliamentary questions have been received on this issue, both of which were from my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Mr Swayne). The first was answered 21 June 2010,  Official Report, column 30W. The second is due to be answered 22 July. Mr Swayne has also written on behalf of a constituent about this issue.
	I had an opportunity to discuss accountability when I recently visited the Northumberland National Park Authority and have since exchanged letters with the English National Park Authorities Association on the issue.

National Parks

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the administrative costs of  (a) the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and  (b) each other national park authority were in each of the last three years.

Richard Benyon: Administrative costs are not recorded separately by the national park authorities but are included in the expenditure figures under activity headings. The most recent information available is for 2008-09 and is as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			   Broads  Dartmoor  Exmoor  Lake District  New Forest  Northumberland  North York Moors  Peak District  Yorkshire Dales 
			 Conservation of natural environment 1,211 921 940.7 1,009 710.5 468.9 1,109 3,160.2 619.5 
			 Conservation of cultural heritage 884 297 474 329 745.4 748.6 339 629.1 247.2 
			 Recreation management and transport 835 542 502.3 2,426 165.9 376.9 1,560 2,509.9 1,962.2 
			 Promoting understanding 807 1,015 791.2 3,334 719.2 833.5 1,394 3,080.6 1,491.8 
			 Rangers, estates services and volunteers 444 1,014 840.1 1,553 16.5 621.1 869 848.4 502.9 
			 Development control 332 1,007 479.8 1,252 1,188.8 144.6 933 1,409.9 887.6 
			 Forward planning 141 568 647.3 936 474.8 812.6 527 842.6 399.6 
			 Corporate and democratic core 523 386 303.1 935 671.2 408 322 491.4 294.7 
			 Non-distributed costs 87 50 33 773 - - - - - 
			 Broads navigation account 2,428 - - - - - - - - 
			 Windermere registration scheme - - - 273 - - - - - 
			 Total expenditure 7,692 5,800 5,011.5 12,820 4,692.3 4,414.2 7,053 12,972.1 6,405.5 
		
	
	Information for previous years is available from the individual national park authorities' websites at:
	www.nationalparks.gov.uk

Reservoirs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total water storage capacity in UK reservoirs was  (a) at the latest date for which figures are available,  (b) in 2005 and  (c) in 2000.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold figures for 2000 and 2005. Until recently, the net change in reservoir capacity since privatisation in 1989 had been small, although within that some small reservoirs were taken out of operation and some introduced.
	As of 14 July 2010 the total capacity of all reservoirs in England and Wales which fall under the Reservoirs Act 1975 (large raised reservoirs with a capacity of 25,000 cubic metres of water or more above natural ground level) was 3,064 million cubic metres.
	Information for Scotland can be obtained from the Scottish Government and for Northern Ireland from the Northern Ireland Office.

Reservoirs

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reservoir capacity was of each privatised water company  (a) on the date of privatisation and  (b) at the latest date for which information is available.

Richard Benyon: The following table sets out the capacity of reservoirs for each privatised water company in England and Wales on 16 July 2010. These are reservoirs that fall under the Reservoirs Act 1975 (large raised reservoirs with a capacity of 25,000m(3) or more above natural ground level). There are some reservoirs that fall under the Act which are not owned by the water companies.
	
		
			  Water company  Capacity (m( 3) ) 
			 Anglian Water Services Ltd 232,275,419 
			 Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water PLC 985,800 
			 Bristol Water PLC 39,781,900 
			 Dee Valley Water PLC 1,685,800 
			 Essex and Suffolk Water Ltd 54,300,640 
			 Veolia Water Southeast Ltd 45,000 
			 Hartlepool Water Co. 1,895,000 
			 Northumbrian Water Ltd 375,474,609 
			 Portsmouth Water Ltd 331,240 
			 Severn Trent Water Ltd 270,158,552 
			 South East Water Ltd 9,125,462 
			 South Staffordshire Water Plc 21,427,380 
			 South West Water Services Ltd 119,242,296 
			 Southern Water Services Ltd 42,689,850 
			 Sutton and East Surrey Water Plc 9,985,000 
			 Thames Water Utilities Ltd 199,397,903 
			 Veolia Water Central Ltd 3,834,215 
			 United Utilities Group Plc 300,284,860 
			 Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru Cyf) 459,038,777 
			 Wessex Water Services Ltd 11,798,140 
			 Yorkshire Water Services Ltd 192,832,462 
			 Total 2,346,590,305 
		
	
	Reservoir capacities on the date of privatisation are not available.

River Blackwater

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future of the environment of the River Blackwater and surrounding land.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has plans under the water framework directive to improve river habitats, reduce the impact of diffuse pollution from agriculture and modify abstraction licences to improve the River Blackwater.
	Under the Catchment Flood Management Plan, the current river maintenance programme and standards of protection, including around Witham, Coggeshall and Kelvedon, will be maintained.

Rivers: Pollution

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of pollution to rivers and water supplies resulting from the run-off of chemicals and metals from car wash businesses.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency undertakes extensive monitoring of river quality, including for chemicals and metals. No specific work has been undertaken to determine the impact of uncontrolled car washes on water quality. The Environment Agency is aware of the potential impact these activities can have on the water environment and has, in collaboration with other UK regulators, produced pollution prevention guidance (PPG13) for their safe operation. It uses this guidance to help inform operators of their legal responsibilities and the measures they can use to control their discharges.
	DEFRA is working with the Environment Agency to investigate whether a different approach to regulation is necessary.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's position is on the establishment of a replacement target date for an ecologically coherent network of well-managed protected marine areas under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic.

Richard Benyon: The Government recognise that the previous OSPAR target for a well-managed ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2010 will be missed. A replacement target will be agreed at the OSPAR ministerial meeting in September. In determining any new target, we will look to reflect our national commitment to a substantially established ecologically coherent network of MPAs by 2012, and work with Contracting Parties to agree a revised target that is both ambitious and achievable. To support this, we are seeking reform of the Common Fisheries Policy that ensures all MPAs can be properly managed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Communication

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what instructions have been issued by the private office of each Minister in his Department on the preparation of briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence.

Owen Paterson: No instructions have been issued.

Departmental Legal Costs

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.

Owen Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
	The Department is charged on an annual basis for legal services. Since devolution, the Department has incurred costs of £5,573.
	The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £880 since 12 April.

Departmental Official Cars

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has spent £13,410.68 on the Government Car service since the Government took office.

Departmental Travel

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since the Government took office; and how much each of these persons has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period.

Owen Paterson: Since the Government took office, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) ministerial team and nine departmental officials, when carrying sensitive documents, have been driven by the Government Car Service. There have been no claims made for travel expenses by these officials.
	In addition, the Government publish, on a quarterly basis, the expenses incurred by the most senior officials which includes use of the Government car service and other travel expenses.

EU Law

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the cost to his Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months.

Owen Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
	Since 12 April the Department has incurred no expenditure in this area.
	The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has also incurred no expenditure in this area.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Capital Expenditure

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission what  (a) capital and  (b) revenue schemes in excess of £100,000 the House of Commons Commission started in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Stuart Bell: Those schemes in excess of £100,000 which commenced in each of the financial years were:
	 2008-09
	 Capital schemes
	Refurbishment of Library accommodation in Norman Shaw North building;
	Refurbishment of toilets in Palace of Westminster centre curtain area;
	Conversion of lift in Norman Shaw North building to evacuation lift;
	Mechanical and electrical services modernisation in the Palace of Westminster;
	1 Canon Row refurbishment and lift extension;
	Estates Enterprise Programme Management System.
	 Revenue schemes
	Portcullis House fire safety system upgrade;
	Extension of Whitehall security measures to the Northern Estate;
	Refurbishment of ventilation in workshops in the Palace of Westminster;
	Disability Discrimination Act works;
	Parliamentary Outreach.
	 Schemes involving a mixture of capital and revenue
	ICT infrastructure replacement;
	Improvement of Department of Facilities IT systems.
	 2009-10
	 Capital schemes
	Acquisition of 53 Parliament street;
	14 Tothill street office fit-out for occupation;
	Preparation of 4 Millbank for occupation;
	Refurbishment of toilets in 7 Millbank;
	Palace of Westminster lower waiting hall toilet refurbishment;
	1 Canon Row gym ventilation and cooling.
	 Revenue schemes
	Refresh of Members' offices;
	Refurbishment of Lord Speaker's lift to provide evacuation facility;
	School Transport Subsidy relating to increase in education service;
	ICT Research and Development;
	Implementation of House Equality Scheme.
	 Schemes involving a mixture of capital and revenue
	Enterprise Information Management;
	Core Parliamentary Information Management Framework.
	Conversion of first floor, 1 Parliament street to a nursery.
	 2010-11
	 Capital schemes
	Replacement of Chamber cameras.
	 Revenue scheme
	Accommodation and services changes and other costs associated with changes following the general election.

JUSTICE

Alcoholic Drinks: Fraud

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were prosecuted for offences of alcohol fraud in 2009.

Dominic Grieve: I have been asked to reply.
	The Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office prosecuted 20 people for alcohol fraud in the calendar year 2009.

Courts: Sentencing

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations are contracted to provide facilities for carrying out community sentences given by courts; and if he will publish the evaluation carried out by his Department on the programmes provided by each such organisation.

Crispin Blunt: Completion of community sentence orders are managed by each of the 35 Probation Trusts. Probation Trusts are established as separate corporate entities to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and they do not have central systems with the MoJ that permit access to information.
	Therefore, the information requested would require the manual collection of all associated data and records from each individual Probation Trust at a disproportionate cost.

Courts: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the status is of the proposed rebuilding of court premises in Sunderland; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: HMCS is committed to the delivery of a new Justice Centre in Sunderland. It has acquired the Farringdon Row site from Sunderland city council and completed the design to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage D.
	HMCS has a portfolio of major build projects, which are at various stages of their development. In line with standard practice, these will be assessed as part of government investment and governance procedures and considered against the outcome of the current Comprehensive Spending Review.

Departmental Billing

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Department does not hold information on the time taken by its contractors to pay their sub-contractors.
	However, the Department's standard contractual terms and conditions include a stipulation that contractors ensure that a provision is included in sub-contracts which requires payment to be made of all sums due by the Contractor to the sub-contractor within a specified period not exceeding 30 days from the receipt of a valid invoice.

Legal Aid: Victims

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will direct his proposed review of legal aid to consider whether a proportion of the legal aid budget should be made available to assist victims and witnesses in cases of violent and serious crime; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are currently no plans to consider whether a proportion of the legal aid budget should be made available to assist victims and witnesses in cases of violent and serious crime.
	The Government ensure practical and emotional support to victims through Victim Support and other voluntary sector providers. Through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, it also provides financial compensation to blameless victims of violent and sexual crime. Bereaved relatives of homicide victims are also able to access free legal advice using a specialised helpline established in 2009. Any victim or witness can access free legal advice through the Legal Services Commission's Community Legal Advice website and helpline.
	The MoJ currently funds Victim Support on an annual basis and they received £38.2 million in the last financial year (2009-10). This year Victim Support are testing a model of working that has seen the development of enhanced support services for the most vulnerable victims of crime and in particular families bereaved by homicide. Other specialist providers of services to victims are funded by the victims' fund, comprised of money collected through the Victims' Surcharge which is levied on all fines and ring-fenced for spending on services to victims. In 2010-11 £2.25 million has been made available to fund third-sector services for victims of sexual violence, £270,000 to fund third-sector services for families bereaved through homicide and £250,000 has been made available to third-sector services for hate crime.
	The Government are also working to ensure victims and witnesses get the support they need to attend court and give best evidence. Witness Care Units (run jointly be the Police and CPS) ensure witnesses are kept involved in the process and are helped to attend court and special measures, for example giving evidence by video, behind screens or with the help of an intermediary to assist communication and enable vulnerable and/or intimidated victims to give best evidence. Victims are also able to make a victim personal statement which enables them to set out in their own words the impact of the crime upon them so that it can be considered by the court.
	On 23 June 2010 the Justice Secretary announced that we are considering policy on the subject of legal aid in England and Wales. We are looking at how to make the legal aid system more efficient, in the context of the current financial climate, while ensuring that it continues to play a vital part in ensuring that people can get access to justice. The Government will consider the policy, and intends to seek views on the proposed new approach in the autumn.

Legal Representation: Mentally Ill

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what mechanism exists for detained mental health patients to choose their legal representation;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to assist detained mental health patients to contact solicitors and to reduce the time taken for such patients to have access to legal services.

Jonathan Djanogly: Legal advice is available to detained mental health patients to assist in the preparation and in representing a client before the Mental Health Tribunal. Such advice and assistance is without reference to a client's means. There are currently 221 providers in England and Wales who have contracts to undertake such work. Their details are available on the Community Legal Advice website. Additionally we are aware that many Mental Health Act Administrators within hospitals have list of local solicitors which they provide to clients to enable them to access legal advice.
	A recent tender exercise has been carried out by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) for new Mental Health contracts commencing in October 2010. The tender exercise has been significantly oversubscribed in all strategic health authorities.

Rape Crisis Centres

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what plans he has for future funding of existing rape crisis centres;
	(2)  what criteria will be used to determine in which areas to establish new rape crisis centres;
	(3)  whether the Government's plans to establish 20 new rape crisis centres will affect levels of funding for existing rape crisis centres; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Government recognise the crucial role played by rape support centres in the provision of support to victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence. To improve stability within the sector and increase the provision of services across England and Wales we have committed within the Coalition programme for government to
	'consider how to use proceeds from the Victim Surcharge to deliver up to 15 new rape crisis centres, and give existing rape crisis centres stable, long-term funding.'
	This commitment remains a priority for the Government. Work to develop a sustainable funding model for the sector and to identify, through comparison of existing service provision against predicted demand, those areas where the need for new centres is most acute will be undertaken in conjunction with the comprehensive spending review. No final decisions will be made until the autumn, when the results of the spending review are announced.

Rape: Victims

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of  (a) reported cases of rape,  (b) prosecutions for rape and  (c) convictions for rape involved a victim with (i) disabilities and (ii) learning disabilities in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Information collected by the Home Office on the number of recorded offences does not separately identify whether the victim of rape had a disability.
	The Court Proceedings Database held by the Ministry of Justice contains information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. Other than where specified in a statute, statistical information available centrally does not include the circumstances of each case. It is therefore not possible to separately identify from prosecutions and convictions for rape, the number of cases where the victim had a disability.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Departmental Art Works

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on works of art since 2005.

Alistair Burt: Spending on works of art by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) was as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 19,121 
			 2006-07 55,551 
			 2007-08 0 
			 2008-09 5,288 
			 2009-10 74,887 
			 2010-11 746 
			 (1) To date. 
		
	
	Works of art displayed in FCO buildings in the UK and throughout the network are from the Government Art Collection (GAC), which publishes an annual list of acquisitions. The most recent details of acquisitions made by the GAC were published on 5 October 2009 and are available on the GAC website:
	http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/information/publications.asp

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many mobile telephones issued by his Department were recorded as  (a) lost,  (b) stolen and  (c) broken in each year since 1997.

Alistair Burt: Within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsibility for the management of mobile phones is devolved to Directorates and Posts overseas. There is no central record of lost, stolen or broken mobile phones and consequently it is not possible to provide the information requested without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Jack Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates his Department makes of the level of emoluments it pays to locally-engaged staff; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the level of such emoluments is in line with that paid to locally-engaged staff of other departments.

Alistair Burt: The paybill for locally-engaged staff, as published in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) resource accounts, for the 2009-10 financial year was £167.7 million. This figure includes both the salary and pension costs for approximately 10,500 local staff employed by the FCO overseas.
	A large proportion of local staff employed by other Government Departments are recruited and paid according to the FCO's locally set terms and conditions of service, ensuring equality on emoluments. In 2009 the FCO and the Department for International Development undertook an exercise to ensure local staff pay and benefits for both Departments remained in line with each other and with local market conditions.

Diplomatic Service

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department has issued to UK embassies on support and assistance that should be offered to UK nationals undertaking human rights monitoring or advocacy in other jurisdictions.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to providing high quality consular support to British nationals travelling or resident overseas. Information on how the FCO can help British nationals is set out in the public guide 'Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide'. The publication is available on the FCO website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/publications
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice is an authoritative source of travel safety information for all British nationals (regardless of their purpose of travel). See the FCO website:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/
	Our embassies implement the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders which apply to all individuals promoting or protecting human rights (including UK nationals). The Guidelines provide practical guidance to EU member states' embassies and EU Representations and Delegations abroad on how to fulfil the commitment in EU Common Foreign and Security Policy to promote and encourage respect for the right to defend human rights. This policy is based on the premise of the UN human rights system (i) that member states are responsible for ensuring that the rights of individuals, as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in the UN human rights conventions which they have ratified, are respected and protected within their jurisdictions and (ii) that all member states share this responsibility to respect and promote these universal rights for all individuals everywhere.

Overseas Aid: Human Rights

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 29 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 37-8WS, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office programmes, what work in which countries will be stopped as a result of the £560,000 reduction in spending on human rights and democracy; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced a 10% reduction this year in the Strategic Programme Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, as a contribution to reducing public expenditure, while making clear our desire to sustain such programmes in future years. Programme funds are only one way in which the Government upholds human rights, which are also a major focus of our overall bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activity. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in consultation with partners, is currently assessing how this 10% reduction to the Strategic Programme Fund for Human Rights and Democracy can be implemented.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes have been built in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: Information on new affordable homes is not available by constituency. The information requested for Peterborough local authority is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  New-build affordable homes delivered in Peterborough( 1) 
			   Number 
			 2005-06 80 
			 2006-07 120 
			 2007-08 280 
			 2008-09 380 
			 (1) Rounded to nearest 10 homes.  Source:  Homes and Communities Agency and local authorities. 
		
	
	Not all affordable housing is provided through new-build completions as supply can also come from the acquisition and refurbishment of private sector homes. In 2008-09, for example, a total of 420 additional affordable homes were provided in Peterborough.
	The next CLG affordable housing statistical release containing figures for 2009-10 is scheduled to be published in the autumn.

Council Housing: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if he will make an estimate of the financial effect on Harlow district council of the Tenant Services Authority inspection and audit programme in financial year  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of the Tenant Services Authority's programme of annual inspections and audits in financial year 2010-11.

Andrew Stunell: The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) was not responsible for the inspection or regulation of local authorities in 2009-10.
	The previous inspections regime for local authorities ceased on 1 April 2010 and is currently being reviewed. No fees in relation to inspections will be incurred by any local authority in 2010-11.

Housing: Construction

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding he has allocated for the building of houses in  (a) England,  (b) Tyneside and  (c) Newcastle Central constituency in 2010-11.

Andrew Stunell: The three programmes which provide funding directly for the building of new affordable homes in England in the current spending period are: the National Affordable Housing Programme, Kickstart Housing Programmes, and Local Authority New Build. These programmes have mainly funded new affordable homes for social rent and low cost home ownership, although Kickstart has delivered an element of market sale homes.
	Information on the National Affordable Housing Programme allocations across the spending period are available on the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) website, these are provided by region and local authority area:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/funding_allocation
	A list of those schemes which have been successful in their applications for Kickstart Housing Delivery and Local Authority New Build are available on the HCA website:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing_stimulus

Local Government Finance

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to increase the transparency of the existing formula grant allocation process.

Bob Neill: The coalition Government are fully committed to a local government resource review and we will make a further announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are prepared to keep an open mind about proposals for increasing the transparency of the formula grant distribution process.

Local Government Finance

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for his Department's review of the local government finance formula; and when he expects to be in a position to implement a new formula.

Bob Neill: The coalition Government are fully committed to a local government resource review and we will make a further announcement in due course. This is the last year of a three year settlement, and we will be consulting on our proposals for 2011-12 in due course. We are of course prepared to keep an open mind about options for change regarding the distribution of formula grant to local authorities.

Local Government Services: Expenditure

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made a recent estimate of the proportion of local authority expenditure incurred on services provided under statutory obligations.

Bob Neill: No. The information requested is not available centrally.

Local Government: Contracts

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the monetary value of contracts entered into by local authorities; and what estimate he has made of the monetary value of such contracts in each of the next three years.

Bob Neill: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Ordnance Survey

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to take steps to encourage the further  (a) release and  (b) public re-use of Ordnance Survey geospatial data.

Bob Neill: The release of some Ordnance Survey datasets through OS OpenData earlier this year will give citizens and businesses the ability to freely use and re-use that data, including for commercial purposes. The package of products released was chosen to maximise the ability to make best use of other public data which is freely available (e.g. through data.gov.uk) and to ensure that Ordnance Survey continues to provide high-quality products and services to those customers who need them. There are no current plans to change the products made available through OS OpenData.

Rented Housing: Empty Property

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of vacant properties in the  (a) social and  (b) private rented sector in Sunderland.

Andrew Stunell: Information is not collected by constituency.
	The Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) collects information from local authorities on the number of vacant dwellings within each local authority area as at 1 April. Information is not collected on the number of vacant dwellings in the private rented sector.
	The Regulatory Statistical Return (RSR) is collected by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and collects information on vacant dwellings from registered social landlords as at 31 March. However, the number of vacant dwellings recorded includes general needs dwellings only.
	A table showing the number of vacant dwellings owned by local authorities and registered social landlords in each local authority area as at 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2009 respectively has been placed in the Library of the House.

Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households with people of working age in social housing are deemed to be under-occupying by  (a) one bedroom and  (b) two or more bedrooms in each local authority area.

Andrew Stunell: holding answer 20 July 2010
	Data on under-occupation is not available at local authority level. Under-occupied households are normally defined as those with two or more bedrooms more than required as assessed by the Bedroom Standard. On this basis it is estimated that 216,000 households with a household reference person of working age in social housing were under-occupying in 2007-08. It is estimated that 721,000 households with a household reference person of working age in social housing had one bedroom more than required. These estimates are based on data from the Survey of English Housing.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Finance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he  (a) has made and  (b) plans to make of the differential effect on the regions of a reduction in public spending on the arts.

Jeremy Hunt: No decisions have yet been made on the spending review and the Department remains in discussions with HM Treasury.
	We recognise the importance of understanding the distributional impact of any proposed changes, and are carrying out detailed work over the summer to analyse the impact of any changes.

Church of England: Anniversaries

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the Church of England events to mark the 350th anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer in 2012.

John Penrose: I understand that the Prayer Book Society is currently campaigning for a special coin and stamp to be issued by the Royal Mint and Royal Mail to commemorate the 350(th) anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer. We currently have no plans to discuss any commemorative events to celebrate the anniversary with the Church of England.

Departmental Civil Servants

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many employees of his Department attended Civil Service Live in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to his Department of such attendance in each such year.

John Penrose: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by the private company Dods (the publishers of Civil Service World), who bear all of the financial risks.
	The overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. Departments do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends.
	Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live events. There may have been some travel and subsistence costs for delegates paid for by individual departments. Civil servants attending the event will have followed the travel and subsistence guidelines set by their departments.

Departmental Communication

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what instructions have been issued by the private office of each Minister in his Department on the preparation of briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence.

John Penrose: The private offices maintain a guidance document which provides general advice for officials working with Ministers.
	In providing briefings and speeches I have requested that all documentation is concise, focussed and easy to navigate.
	The Secretary of State has asked officials to provide clear and detailed responses to official correspondence within 48-hours where possible and to move to an entirely electronic system of correspondence handling to further drive efficiency in this area.

Digital Broadcasting: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate the average cost per household, including vehicle ownership, of upgrading radio equipment in preparation for the proposed switchover from analogue to digital radio in Milton Keynes North constituency.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are preparing a comprehensive review of the costs and benefits of a Digital Radio Switchover. Only once such an assessment has been made can a decision be taken on whether to implement a radio switchover programme.
	On 8 July I announced the Digital Radio Action Plan, which outlines the information the Government will need in order to make a well-informed decision on whether to proceed with a radio switchover. A key aspect of the plan will include a detailed impact assessment of the proposed costs, including household and vehicle conversion, and benefits of a digital radio switchover programme.

Digital Broadcasting: Motor Vehicles

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the number of car radios that will be unable to receive radio broadcasts following digital switchover.

Edward Vaizey: On 8 July I announced the Digital Radio Action Plan, which outlines the information the Government will need in order to make a well-informed decision on whether to proceed with a radio switchover. As part of this process, the Technical and Equipment Consumer Expert Group will consider the impact of a possible Digital Radio Switchover on existing and new car radios.

Digital Broadcasting: North West

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that television broadcasts are available to all in the North West following the switch off of the analogue signal; and by what date he expects full coverage in the North West to be established.

Edward Vaizey: Between 2008 and 2012, analogue TV signals are being replaced with digital on a region by region basis. Granada TV region switched to digital in December 2009. Digital UK (DUK) is responsible for co-ordinating the switchover programme and publishes switchover dates on its website:
	www.digitaluk.co.uk
	approximately eight to 12 months in advance of the region switching.
	After switchover is complete, 98.5% of households in the UK will be able to receive about 15 TV channels, including all the Public Service Broadcast (PSB) channels, and many will be able to receive considerably more. In addition, viewers can choose from a number of other digital television options. Coverage by the commercial multiplex operators is a commercial matter for them.
	Detailed information on the coverage of digital terrestrial TV for the PSB and commercial multiplexes after switchover can be found on the Ofcom website:
	http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/files/2010/07/granada.pdf

Digital Switchover Fund

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the projected total underspend is in the Digital Switchover Fund.

Edward Vaizey: The BBC licence fee settlement ring-fenced £600 million for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme. We now estimate that the Help Scheme will underspend by £300 million.

Gaming Machines

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the effects on amusement centres  (a) at the seaside and  (b) elsewhere of increasing the stake for category B3 machines to £2 and increasing the proportion of category B3 machines in each establishment.

John Penrose: On 23 June 2010 I met with representatives of the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA) to discuss a range of issues affecting the gaming machine industry, including seaside arcades. Our discussion included the case for increasing the stake for category B3 machines to £2 and the proportion of category B3 machines in each establishment as a means of helping adult gaming centres to remain competitive. I am now considering these matters in the context of the public protection objectives of the Gambling Act 2005.
	I hope to make an announcement shortly.

National Lottery

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether Big Lottery funding after 1 April 2011 will be able to go to the good cause of health, education and environment.

John Penrose: holding answer 12 July 2010
	The Big Lottery Fund will continue to be a Lottery distributor after April 2011, funding the same range of projects as it does now, but focussing on the voluntary and community sector.

National Lottery: Arts

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the  (a) cash and  (b) percentage change in the amount of lottery funding for the Arts Council England would be if the share of lottery funding going to the arts good cause were increased to 20 per cent.

John Penrose: holding answer 12 July 2010
	On current projections, the arts will receive about an extra £50 million a year, of which Arts Council England would receive about £35 million extra per year, bringing ACE's total Lottery income to about £210 million. This is 20% more than the body would receive without the share change. Also, after ACE's contribution to the Olympics ends in 2012, £30 million more of this income will be available for Arts projects.

National Lottery: Olympic Games 2012

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much has been raised from all dedicated London 2012 Olympic Lottery games  (a) in total and  (b) in each quarter of the last two years.

John Penrose: As at 31 March 2010, the total contributed to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF) from designated Olympic Lottery games is £468.3 million.
	The amount contributed to the OLDF from designated Olympic Lottery Games in each quarter of financial year 2008-09 and 2009-10 is:
	
		
			   £  million 
			  2008-09  
			 Quarter one 31.2 
			 Quarter two 43.6 
			 Quarter three 27.3 
			 Quarter four 24 
			  2009-10  
			 Quarter one 16.1 
			 Quarter two 15.8 
			 Quarter three 23.7 
			 Quarter four 22.4 
		
	
	These figures include only primary contributions and not investment income or unclaimed prizes.
	The National Lottery Commission publishes quarterly reports detailing the level of funds that have been transferred to the OLDF. These are available on its website:
	http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/client/content.ASP?Contentld=234

Public Libraries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many public libraries  (a) opened and  (b) closed in each year since 1997.

Edward Vaizey: Central Government do not produce data on the number of public libraries opened or closed each year.

Public Libraries

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many new public libraries were built in England in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many public libraries were closed in England in each of the last 10 years.

Edward Vaizey: Central Government do not produce data on the number of public libraries built or closed each year. Data showing the number of public library service points in England is published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in their annual Public Library Statistics and is reproduced in the following table. Copies of the CIPFA Public Library Statistics are available in the House Libraries.
	
		
			   Libraries open 60+ hrs per week  Libraries open 45-59 hrs per week  Libraries open 30-44 hrs per week  Libraries open 10-29 hrs per week  Mobile libraries  Libraries open 10+ hrs per week (incl. mobiles)  Libraries open <10hrs per week  Libraries open (all hours) 
			 1998-99 11 437 1242 1347 467 3504 150 3654 
			 1999-2000 11 458 1222 1340 470 3501 132 3633 
			 2000-01 19 469 1213 1331 465 3497 130 3627 
			 2001-02 28 493 1199 1311 473 3504 115 3619 
			 2002-03 42 598 1168 1240 462 3510 91 3601 
			 2003-04 51 683 1143 1186 461 3524 80 3604 
			 2004-05 69 727 1139 1106 433 3474 96 3570 
			 2005-06 81 760 1124 1092 443 3500 73 3573 
			 2006-07 97 741 1132 1096 428 3494 86 3580 
			 2007-08 104 760 1111 1085 409 3469 96 3565 
			 2008-09 119 780 1095 1062 395 3451 91 3542

Public Libraries: Expenditure

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was spent on public libraries in England in each of the last five years.

Edward Vaizey: The expenditure on library services in England in each of the past five years can be seen in the following table:
	
		
			   Net current expenditure( 1) (£ million) 
			 2005-06 867,115 
			 2006-07 889,558 
			 2007-08 908,406 
			 2008-09 928,143 
			 2009-10 951,170 
			 (1) Net current expenditure is defined here as the costs of staffing, heating, lighting and cleaning, together with expenditure on goods and services consumed within the year. This expenditure is offset by income from sales, fees and charges and other (non-grant) income. 
		
	
	This information was provided by the Communities and Local Government Revenue Account (RA) budget returns.
	In addition, the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has used DCMS Grant in Aid to develop, share and promote best practice in libraries and has supported libraries to deliver projects such as Boys into Books and Book Ahead which are funded by the Department for Education. Public libraries have also benefited from lottery funding and Private Finance Initiative credits which have been invested in individual projects.

Theatre: Concessions

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many free theatre tickets have been provided to under-26 year olds resident in  (a) Wirral South,  (b) Merseyside and  (c) England since 2008.

Edward Vaizey: The A Night Less Ordinary scheme gave away 225,986 tickets to under-26 year olds across England in its first 15 months. 29,704 tickets were given away by venues in the North West.
	Details for individual theatres are commercially sensitive and cannot be provided. Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse are the Merseyside venues participating in the scheme. There are no venues in Wirral South.

TRANSPORT

A338

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to build a relief road from Bournemouth airport to the A338.

Michael Penning: holding answer 20 July 2010
	 The Department for Transport currently has no plans to build a relief road from Bournemouth airport to the A338.
	The Government have made clear that their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record budget deficit in order to restore confidence in the economy and support the economy.
	Ministers are therefore reviewing all Department for Transport projects and programmes as part of the spending review to ensure they represent good value for money and are consistent with the Government's objectives.
	Once the spending review has concluded, it will be for the local authority to bring forward any scheme which it believes is a strong competitor for the available funding.

A614: Nottinghamshire

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent reports he has received on the safety record of the A614 in Nottinghamshire.

Michael Penning: holding answer 15 July 2010
	The Department for Transport routinely receives reports from police authorities into all road accidents involving personal injury. I am aware of a number of fatal and serious injury accidents on the A614 in recent years and I know that the county council is working closely with Nottinghamshire police within the county's Road Safety Partnership to identify and implement measures to improve the safety record of the route.

Airports

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his timetable is for publication of the national policy statement on airports.

Theresa Villiers: The Government will issue a more detailed statement on national policy statements later in the summer.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the security of data collected by automatic number plate recognition cameras operated by his Department and its agencies is protected.

Michael Penning: All data captured by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's mobile automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras is stored securely and is protected using security codes generated using Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB 3/96) published standards for data protection. The data captured from DVLA's static cameras is held on a secure data storage server.
	Data from the Highways Agency's ANPR cameras is scrambled at source into a non-unique code which can apply to more than one vehicle simultaneously. This process renders the data as non-personal under the Data Protection Act 1998.
	In addition, the Highways Agency operates a system of information asset owners to ensure that data is held and used in accordance with both the Data Protection Act 1998 and with Cabinet Office Data Handling guidance issued in 2008.
	Data gathered by ANPR cameras is stored at the Highways Agency national traffic control centre (NTCC). The Highways Agency's information asset owner (IAO) has ensured that the information is accredited to Information Security ISO27001 standards.
	The Department uses ANPR cameras in an annual survey to estimate the rate of vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion and MOT non-compliance. All ANPR images and data collected in this survey are treated as personal. They are passed from the survey contractor to the Department in encrypted form and are stored on secure, accredited servers to which only a strictly limited number of staff have access.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition: East Yorkshire

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many automatic number plate recognition cameras operated by his Department and its agencies there are in East Yorkshire constituency.

Michael Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has a mobile automatic number plate recognitions (ANPR) unit based in Leeds which travels around the area to detect the use of unlicensed vehicles. This unit will occasionally cover areas in East Yorkshire. DVLA has no static automatic number plate recognition cameras in East Yorkshire. The Vehicle and Operators Service Agency (VOSA) has one mobile ANPR unit which will occasionally cover areas in East Yorkshire.
	The Department for Transport uses ANPR cameras in an annual survey to estimate the rate of vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion and MOT non-compliance. This survey operates during one month of the year, at four sites in the Humberside police force area, for two days at each site.

Bus Services

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact assessments his Department has conducted on  (a) the effect of the provision of bus services in rural communities,  (b) social inclusion and  (c) the projected increase in bus fares of reductions in the Bus Services Operators Grant from the fiscal year 2011-12 onwards.

Norman Baker: Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government.
	In England, an impact assessment was published in March 2008 alongside a consultation document on options for bus subsidy reform. A subsequent impact assessment was published in December 2009.
	Government support for rural bus services in England is also provided through the separate Rural Bus Subsidy Grant, worth £60 million in 2010-11.

Bus Services: Finance

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the Bus Service Operators Grant; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: We have received several letters from, and had discussions with: bus companies; their representative bodies; MPs; local government representatives and other interest groups, about the Bus Service Operators Grant.
	The Government will consider Bus Service Operators Grant as part of the spending review. Decisions will be made, and announced, in due course.

Cycling: Safety

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent encouraging cyclists to wear cycle helmets in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: holding answer 12 July 2010
	Over the last five years the Department for Transport has spent some £2.489 million on Think! Child road safety campaigns which encouraged, among other things, children to wear cycle helmets. Additionally, The Highway Code, which is a priced publication but can be viewed free online, advises cyclists to wear a cycle helmet.

Departmental ICT

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on information and communication technology in each year since 1997.

Norman Baker: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many of his Department's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public expenditure; and what the monetary value is of all such contracts which are under review;
	(2)  how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a result of recently announced reductions in public spending; what savings are expected to accrue to his Department from such renegotiations; how much expenditure his Department will incur on such renegotiations; and when such renegotiations will be completed.

Philip Hammond: The Department for Transport's review of its contractual commitments is still ongoing and we are not therefore in a position to release such details at this time. We are also working with the Office of Government Commerce to ensure that the Department for Transport's strategy is aligned with wider Government policy.

Departmental Utilities

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) electricity, (ii) water, (iii) heating and (iv) telephone services in each year since 1997.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport was formed in 2002 and therefore no records exist for the Department prior to that date.
	The following tables show all the available data for expenditure incurred on electricity, heating, water and telephone services by the Department, its Agencies and NDPBs since 2002-03.
	
		
			  Electricity 
			  £ 
			  Organisation  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Central Department 282,349 312,541 400,220 632,958 665,010 626,723 787,165 789,574 
			 Executive Agencies 504,400 8,835,198 14,319,363 14,436,795 22,510,902 20,110,874 31,141,724 28,584,802 
			 NDPBs 343,544 389,367 389,577 1,001,998 1,298,016 1,282,005 1,435,203 1,717,047 
		
	
	The increase in expenditure for NDPBs in 2005-06 is due to British Transport Police joining the Department that year. The rise in costs for Executive Agencies in 2008-09 is due in the main to Highways Agency's increased roll out of technology across the network and an understatement of their costs in 2007-08 which were subsequently captured in 2008-09.
	
		
			  Heating 
			  £ 
			  Organisation  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Central Department 28,967 31,323 21,565 54,711 45,686 42,577 70,385 30,817 
			 Executive Agencies 156,855 365,588 414,404 544,587 633,421 1,073,948 1,943,480 1,741,444 
			 NDPBs 87,157 73,077 96,989 273,785 193,656 214,964 315,355 263,103 
		
	
	The rise in costs for Executive Agencies in 2007-08 is due to this being the first year all Agencies had been able to separate out heating costs from general building running costs. Previous years only contain the figures for five of our seven Agencies. The significant increase in 2008-09 is as a result of the expansion of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estate and the extended use of the combined heat and power plant.
	
		
			  Water 
			  £ 
			  Organisation  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Central Department 21,471 20,086 19,413 20,349 22,154 23,984 27,861 36,490 
			 Executive Agencies 104,221 248,858 258,971 324,183 285,101 730,215 724,490 603,911 
			 NDPBs 54,799 29,948 42,769 112,911 122,473 101,460 147,770 149,899 
		
	
	The increase in expenditure for NDPBs in 2005-06 is due to British Transport Police joining the Department that year. The rise in costs for Executive Agencies in 2007-08 is due to this being the first year all Agencies had been able to separate out water costs from general building running costs. Previous years only contain the figures for five of our seven Agencies.
	
		
			  Telephone  s ervices 
			  £ 
			  Organisation  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Central Department 2,638,400 3,320,600 1,274,880 1,010,805 935,593 942,381 1,027,085 1,152,496 
			 Executive Agencies 954,893 3,714,319 3,767,352 7,956,737 8,163,348 8,698,173 9,043,539 8,082,496 
			 NDPBs 304,734 270,880 296,380 3,053,099 2,837,994 2,675,304 2,570,704 2,576,027 
		
	
	The increase in expenditure for NDPBs in 2005-06 is due to British Transport Police joining the Department that year. The increase in costs for Executive Agencies in 2005-06 is due to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency data for the previous years not being available. That data is published in their annual report and accounts under Telecommunications, which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The Department for Transport is committed to making efficiency savings and is currently planning to reduce its costs in line with Government targets.

Electric Vehicles

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the safety of electric personal assistive mobility devices;
	(2)  if his Department will bring forward proposals to allow the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices in cycle lanes.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has recently conducted three public consultations about possible changes to legislation affecting:
	small electric personal vehicles,
	electrically-assisted pedal cycles and
	mobility vehicles (known in law as "invalid carriages").
	A wide range of issues were covered, including safety and the use of cycle lanes and cycle tracks.
	The findings of all three consultations will be considered carefully before any decisions on next steps are taken

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of providing  (a) Secretaries of State,  (b) Ministers of State and  (c) Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State in his Department with (i) cars with a dedicated driver from the Government car service and (ii) cars from the Government car pool from May 1997 to May 2010.

Michael Penning: The annual contracted cost (excl. VAT) of providing Ministers with cars with a dedicated driver from the Government Car Service from April 2006 up to May 2010 was:
	
		
			  £ 
			   April 2006-March 2007 incl .  April 2007-March 2008 incl.  April 2008-March 2009 incl.  April 2009-March 2010 incl.  April 2010 
			 Secretary of State 68,065.60 69,966.00 73,237.79 39,204.48 0.00 
			 Minister of State 66,237.18 64,104.60 71,747.12 70,550.05 5,746.93 
			 Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State 129,042.35 138,661.85 144,266.43 140,830.52 11,493.86 
		
	
	The overall cost for Department for Transport Ministers for 2005-06 financial year is detailed in a written ministerial statement available in the Libraries of the House. To provide details prior to 2005-06 financial year can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which  (a) Secretaries of State,  (b) Ministers of State and  (c) Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State in his Department were allocated a car from the Government car pool during the period from May 1997 to May 2010.

Michael Penning: The Ministers in this Department allocated a car from the Government Car Service from April 2006 up to May 2010 are:
	 Secretary of State
	Alistair Darling
	Douglas Alexander
	Ruth Kelly
	Geoff Hoon
	Lord Adonis
	 Minister of State
	Stephen Ladyman
	Rosie Winterton
	Lord Adonis
	Sadiq Khan
	 Parliame ntary Under - Secretary of State
	Derek Twigg
	Tom Harris
	Gillian Merron
	Jim Fitzpatrick
	Paul Clark
	Chris Mole
	Details can be provided prior to 2006-07 financial year only at disproportionate cost.

M1: Derbyshire

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason cameras are situated on a bridge over the M1 motorway in the vicinity of Tibshelf services; what the purpose of the cameras is; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: holding answer 20 July 2010
	There are two bridges which cross the M1 within the vicinity of Tibshelf Services. Newton Wood Lane Bridge, which carries an unclassified road, is situated 0.25 miles south of the services.
	There are no cameras located on this bridge, however, the Highways Agency does have a closed circuit television camera situated a further 0.25 miles south of Newton Wood Lane Bridge. This is directly linked to the East Midlands Regional Control Centre and is used for traffic monitoring purposes.
	The B6014 Mansfield Road Bridge is situated 0.5 miles north of the services. The cameras installed on this bridge are the responsibility of Derbyshire Police and not the Highways Agency. Any queries regarding their purpose should be directed to Derbyshire Police.

Merchant Shipping

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 July 2010,  Official Report, column 14WS, on Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations, what impact assessments his Department undertook in relation to the effect of the Regulations on  (a) environmental protection,  (b) economic growth and  (c) harbour authorities.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport's Maritime and Coastguard Agency has undertaken one Impact Assessment on the "Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010". The Impact Assessment, and the Explanatory Memorandum to which it is appended, may be accessed on the Office of Public Sector Information website by means of the following link:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2010/em/uksiem_20101228_en.pdf
	The "Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010" were laid before Parliament on 9 April 2010, and the first tranche of provisions was due to come into force on 1 October 2010.
	The shipping and ports industry, and some MPs, expressed concern about aspects of the Regulations. Other MPs expressed support for the Regulations in their current form.
	On 8 July 2010, through a written ministerial statement, I announced a review and invited all interested parties to set out their views on the Regulations by 30 September 2010.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many MOT testing stations for taxis or private hire vehicles there are in each local authority area in England and Wales.

Michael Penning: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) does not hold this information as taxis can be issued with a Certificate of Compliance by an authorised council. Issue of this certificate is administered locally, and not held on VOSA central records.

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to phase roadworks on motorways so that motorists do not have to face consecutive sets of roadworks over a short distance; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: holding answer 20 July 2010
	National guidance to all highway authorities about the minimum distance between road works sites on motorways is given in Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8 paragraphs D3.5.2 to D3.5.4 and Table 3.3. For Standard works this is 6.2 miles and for off-peak works this is 3.1 miles.
	For some sites where there are several distinct work locations along a short length of motorway, it may be safer for both road users and road workers to have a continuous length of temporary traffic management (such as cones) than to individually sign and protect each site. If it is not reasonably practical to alter the construction sequence then a highway authority may accept having several sets of road works spaced more closely than recommended in the guidance. If this occurs, the site specific risk assessment for each set of works must take into account the effect of the other sets of work on both road user and road worker safety.
	To avoid problems with driver fatigue, sites longer than 6.2 miles should be avoided.

Railways

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the re-opening of closed rail lines; and which closed lines have been identified for re-opening since May 2010.

Theresa Villiers: The Government have made clear that their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record deficit. The scope for future rail investment will depend on decisions that will be made in the comprehensive spending review in the autumn. In these circumstances we have not identified any closed lines for re-opening since May 2010.

Railways: Construction

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on a moratorium on construction on disused rail lines.

Theresa Villiers: Planning Policy Guidance (PPG13) gives guidance on the safeguarding of transport routes. We are considering issues around disused rail paths but have not yet had discussion with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government. In due course, the Government will publish and present to Parliament a consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and setting out national economic, environmental and social priorities.

Railways: Finance

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what cost-benefit analysis model is being used to decide which rail projects will go ahead; and what the implications are of that model for the timetable for Bromsgrove's new railway station;
	(2)  if he will give precedence to railway infrastructure projects that are assessed to have benefits for the environment as well as the economy.

Theresa Villiers: Important transport projects which need Government funding are currently assessed using the New Approach to Transport Appraisal (NATA). The Government are aware of the crowding issues the Bromsgrove station project would address. In assessing the case for funding the project, we will need to take into account value for money and the relative priority of the improvements proposed, as compared to competing programmes elsewhere. The decision on this issue will also be affected by the need to tackle the deficit inherited from the previous Government and the resulting constraints on the availability of funds. This will depend on the outcome of the spending review.
	An assessment of the expected environmental benefits associated with different infrastructure proposals forms part of the process undertaken to reach investment decisions. The objective of collecting and assessing information on environmental benefits, alongside other relevant factors such as economic growth potential and safety issues, is to ensure that decisions are based on a full assessment of value for money. The coalition agreement contains a commitment to further reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals are fully recognised.

Railways: West Midlands

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from local authorities in the West Midlands on the potential effect of a Midlands Metro link between Dudley and Brierley Hill on the volume of traffic on major roads in the region.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has received no such representations.

Retford Railway Station: Parking

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 July 2010,  Official Report, column 373W, on Retford railway station: parking, what record was made of the meeting of 24 March 2010 at his Department attended by the hon. Member for Bassetlaw on rail services to Retford and car parking at Retford station.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 15 July 2010
	I regret that there was an inaccuracy in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 8 July.
	Since my previous response, I have been informed that the hon. Member met with Chris Mole, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, on 24 March 2010 and car parking at Retford station was discussed. This should have been identified as a representation in my earlier answer. Please accept my apologies for the error.
	The East Coast Main Line Company (ECML Co) has recently conducted a car park review on the East Coast route at the request of the Department. Retford station has one of the busiest car parks on the East Coast route with limited available capacity. The review concluded that due to the extensive availability of on-street parking and competitive independent off-street parking additional capacity provision by ECML Co was not felt to be urgently needed at this time.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Operating Costs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he has taken to reduce the cost of running the Law Officers' Departments since his appointment.

Dominic Grieve: The Law Officers' Departments take very seriously the need to make necessary savings in the operation of public services. To contribute to the £6 billion in year cross-Government efficiency savings, we announced on 24 May that the Departments will make extra savings of nearly £18 million during the current financial year (approximately 2.5%).
	In addition, the Law Officers' Departments are currently conducting a cross-departmental feasibility study to evaluate opportunities to make cashable savings in:
	Collaborative procurement
	Shared IT
	Estates rationalisation
	Shared corporate services
	Shared transactional services.
	That project is expected to report shortly and outcomes will be taken forward in conjunction with Treasury guidance.

PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what recent changes to the machinery of government he has made to enable the implementation of early intervention policies.

Nicholas Clegg: I have been asked to reply.
	There is renewed interest and a great deal of work on early intervention going on across Government.
	We have created a Cabinet Subcommittee on Social Justice, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which will drive forward this work. The Childhood and Families Task Force chaired by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, and which I attend, will also take a keen interest in these important issues.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the adequacy of resourcing and funding of electoral services and electoral registration departments in local authorities.

Mark Harper: The Government have not made such an assessment. However, as part of its work in developing performance standards for electoral services, the Electoral Commission launched its financial information survey across Great Britain on 10 September 2007.
	Electoral registration officers and returning officers were asked to complete the survey and return it by 31 July 2008, and again in July 2009. I understand that the Commission has published its report "The Cost of Electoral Administration in Great Britain", based on survey findings and covering the 2007-08 and 2008-09 financial years. The report is now available on the Commission's website at:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/performance-standards/financial-information

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Kirklees

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the level of carbon dioxide emissions in the Kirklees local authority area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 July 2010
	DECC has carbon dioxide emissions data for the Kirklees local authority area from 2005 to 2007. DECC does not hold emissions data for local authority areas before 2005 and 2008 data will be available this autumn.
	Local Authority CO2 emission estimates, published as National Statistics, cover all domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural fuel and electricity use, as well as emissions associated with transport and land use change. This dataset shows that Kirklees have reduced their per capita emissions by 5.3% between 2005 and 2007 (Annex 1).
	DECC also publishes National Indicator 186. This is a subset of the above statistics, which measures the percentage reduction of the per capita CO2 emissions in the local authority area from the 2005 baseline year. This dataset involves the removal of emissions associated with motorways, diesel railways, Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry, and EU ETS, since these are emissions that LAs can be least expected to be responsible for. The National Indicator 186 dataset shows that Kirklees have reduced their per capita emissions by 7.4% between 2005 and 2007 (Annex 2, National Indicator 186).
	
		
			  Annex 1. Kirklees local authority CO 2  emissions estimates :  2005-07 
			  Carbon dioxide emissions by sector (kilo tonnes) 
			   Industrial and Commercial  Domestic  Road Transport  Land Use Change  Total  Per Capita 
			 2005 1,260 996 726 5 2,987 7.54 
			 2006 1,229 992 717 4 2,941 7.39 
			 2007 1,175 956 728 4 2,862 7.14 
		
	
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2007_local/2007_local.aspx
	These data show 5.3% reduction in per capita emissions since 2005.
	
		
			  Annex 2. Kirklees Local Authority National Indicator 186 CO 2  emissions estimates :  2005-07 
			  Carbon dioxide emissions by sector (kilo tonnes) 
			   Industrial and Commercial  Domestic  Road Transport  Total  Per Capita 
			 2005 1,112 996 459 2,568 6.49 
			 2006 1,081 992 450 2,523 6.34 
			 2007 1,000 956 455 2,411 6.01 
		
	
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/indicators/ni186/ni186.aspx
	These data show 7.4% reduction in per capita emissions since 2005.

Departmental Civil Servants

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many employees of his Department attended Civil Service Live in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up and (ii) cost to his Department and its predecessors of such attendance in each such year.

Gregory Barker: DECC do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends Civil Service Live. This information is managed by a private company (Dods) and they maintain the delegate registration.
	Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live. Any travel and subsistence costs would be claimed in accordance with our departmental guidance.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken in an official capacity by each Minister in his Department in (i) May 2010 and (ii) June 2010.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 2 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 19-20W, and to the hon. Member for York Central (Hugh Bayley) on 20 July 2010,  Official Report, column 240W.
	As set out in the Ministerial Code departments will publish, at least quarterly, details of all travel by Ministers. Information for the first quarter will be published as soon as it is ready. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Nuclear Development Forum

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change who attended the Nuclear Development Forum held on 15 July 2010; what estimate he has made of the cost to the Office for Nuclear Development of hosting the Forum; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each paper submitted for discussion or information at the Forum by  (a) his Department and  (b) others attending.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 20 July 2010
	A copy of the attendee list for the Nuclear Development Forum held on 15 July is available on the forum's website:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/nuclear/new/develop_forum/develop_forum.aspx
	All other papers submitted for information or discussion have either been made available on the website or will be shortly.
	The estimated cost of hosting the Nuclear Development Forum on 15 July was £1,520.00.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BBC External Services

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to assume responsibility for funding the BBC World Service.

Andrew Mitchell: All future expenditure will be considered during the comprehensive spending review.

British Council: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to assume responsibility for funding the British Council.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) will cover the official development assistance (ODA) element of core British Council grant in aid funding in 2010-11. This was already classified as ODA and meets the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) rules for aid spending. DFID funding for future years is being reviewed as part of wider spending round discussions.

Departmental Billing

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not maintain records on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors. In line with the Government's policy to improve supplier payment, DFID routinely pays its suppliers within 10 days in over 90% of transactions.

Departmental Civil Servants

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many employees of his Department attended Civil Service Live in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to his Department of such attendance in each such year.

Alan Duncan: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by the private company Dods (the publishers of Civil Service World), who bear all of the financial risks.
	The overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. Departments do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends.
	Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live events, but staff are eligible to claim travel and subsistence costs in line with departmental guidance.

Departmental Pay

Jack Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimates his Department makes of the level of emoluments it pays to locally-engaged staff; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the level of such emoluments is in line with that paid to locally-engaged staff of other departments.

Andrew Mitchell: The pay bill for locally engaged staff employed by the Department for International Development (DFID), known as Staff Appointed in Country (SAIC), for the 2009-10 financial year was £14.9 million.
	The pay and benefits of SAIC engaged by DFID are determined by reference to the salaries and other benefits offered by up to 12 comparator organisations within the local labour market. The comparators include large international organisations, diplomatic missions, other aid agencies and reputable local employers.
	Comprehensive pay reviews typically take place every three years, with interim reviews being undertaken annually to ensure that pay rates remain within the mid market position.
	In 2008, the Cabinet Secretary mandated DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to bring the pay and benefits of their respective locally engaged staff into close alignment. DFID and FCO now conduct joint pay reviews in those countries where both organisations have a presence, based on the principles outlined above. A large proportion of local staff employed by other Government Departments are recruited and paid according to the FCO's locally set terms and conditions of service, ensuring equality on emoluments.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jack Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's total  (a) capital and  (b) current spending was in each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) constant prices; how many full-time equivalent (A) UK-based and (B) locally-engaged staff his Department employed in each such year; and how much his Department spent on consultants (1) contracted to his Department and (2) employed by other organisations under contract to his Department in each such year.

Andrew Mitchell: The following table shows net operating costs and the annual average full-time equivalent staff (UK-based and locally engaged) as set out in DFID's Resource Accounts. These figures have been restated using HMT GDP deflators to constant prices as at 2010-11. Figures are not available on a comparable basis before the creation of DFID in 1997.
	
		
			  Financial year  Net operating cost as per resource accounts (£000)  At constant price (£000)  Total FTE 
			 1995-96 n\a n\a n\a 
			 1996-97 n\a n\a n\a 
			 1997-98 1,582 2,157 n\a 
			 1998-99 1,770 2,302 n\a 
			 1999-2000 2,717 3,466 2,260 
			 2000-01 3,097 3,951 2,270 
			 2001-02 2,447 3,082 2,530 
			 2002-03 2,733 3,366 2,807 
			 2003-04 2,959 3,531 2,874 
			 2004-05 3,252 3,774 2,902 
			 2005-06 3,892 4,395 2,802 
			 2006-07 4,714 5,228 2,660 
			 2007-08 4,546 4,878 2,563 
			 2008-09 5,205 5,430 2,400 
			 2009-10 6,050 6,141 2,383 
		
	
	DFID's resource accounts from 2001-02 onwards report capital spending as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Net operating cost as per resource accounts (£000)  At constant price (£000) 
			 2000-01 27 34 
			 2001-02 20 25 
			 2002-03 17 21 
			 2003-04 27 33 
			 2004-05 755 876 
			 2005-06 20 23 
			 2006-07 694 769 
			 2007-08 739 793 
			 2008-09 876 914 
			 2009-10 1,353 1,373 
		
	
	From April 2006, grants to certain International Financial Institutions were reclassified as Capital Del for budget purposes, but continue to be included as a resource cost in the accounts and the estimates.
	DFID's annual reports state that the numbers of Home civil service and staff appointed in country at the end of each financial year were as follows:
	
		
			   Home civil service  Staff appointed in country 
			 March 2005 1883 989 
			 March 2006 1801 932 
			 March 2007 1719 865 
			 March 2008 1612 834 
			 March 2009 1600 759 
			 March 2010 1573 764 
		
	
	Figures are not available on a comparable basis for earlier years DFID's financial management system shows spending on consultants for the last three years as follows:
	
		
			   Consultancy spending (£000) 
			 2007-08 21,200 
			 2008-09 24,500 
			 2009-10 19,100 
		
	
	Information on a comparable basis is not available for earlier periods. Amounts recorded in DFID systems as consultancy include some items which fall outside the definition of consultancy from the Office of Government Commerce. DFID is now working to bring its account coding system in line with the Office of Government Commerce definition.

Departmental Secondment

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he plans to take to increase the number of officials seconded from his Department to the EU institutions.

Alan Duncan: At present there are around nineteen officials seconded from the Department for International Development (DFID) to EU institutions. DFID focuses on posts where we can have real impact in terms of UK priorities for aid policy and delivery.
	DFID may also propose staff for development-related posts in the European External Action Service (EEAS), once it is established. This will be coordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Developing Countries: Water

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to increase access to safe water in developing countries.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports programmes relating to water and sanitation in 23 countries. Last year UK aid enabled approximately 2.7 million of the world's poorest people to gain access to clean water and 1.8 million to basic sanitation.
	The Secretary of State has recently commissioned a review of DFID's aid programmes to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate progress towards the millennium development goals (MDGs), including the targets for water and sanitation.
	"The Coalition: our programme for government" clearly states that we will prioritise aid spending targeting access to clean water and sanitation. To achieve this we will place a high priority on targeting the countries that are most off-track in achieving the MDGs.

International Assistance

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his objectives are for the side event on education at the UN summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York.

Andrew Mitchell: There are a number of side events on education planned for the UN summit in September. Specific details of these are still emerging.

International Assistance

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow North of 8 July 2010,  Official Report, column 417W, on developing countries, what objectives the Government have set for the action agenda for the September 2010 UN summit on the Millennium Development Goals.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is making every effort to ensure that the action agenda for the United Nations summit reflects the following eight priorities for action, as set out in the international assessment of what is needed to meet the millennium development goals: fostering inclusive economic growth; supporting country-led development; increasing public investments in education, health and sanitation; scaling-up social protection programmes; investing in expanded opportunities for women; promoting low-carbon development; accelerating domestic resource mobilisation; and delivering on ODA commitments.
	In addition we will be looking to secure an accountability mechanism to monitor progress and the delivery of commitments made at the summit.

Kashmir: Overseas Aid

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department sponsors in Kashmir; and how much it spent in Kashmir in the last 12 months.

Andrew Mitchell: In India, the Department for International Development (DFID) funds Save the Children (SCF), which is working in India-Administered Kashmir, with five local NGOs on education and child protection, particularly for children affected by conflict. The total allocation for our work with these NGOs, funded through SCF, is £337,000 for the period 2009-14.
	In Pakistan, as part of our £84 million earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation programme, DFID is financing the building of 15 new schools and 40 bridges in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir. DFID funds have also assisted in the rebuilding of 450,000 houses destroyed or damaged by the earthquake.
	DFID also supports national programmes in both countries that work in and benefit Kashmir, including health and education programmes.

Overseas Aid

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether expenditure on  (a) refugees and  (b) overseas students in the UK will be included in levels of official development assistance reported by his Department.

Andrew Mitchell: "The Coalition Programme for Government" states that the Government will stick to the rules laid down by the OECD about what spending counts as aid. We are working with the DAC to develop clarification of its statistical reporting directives, particularly around expenditure on refugees, and will publish as soon as possible details of the adjustments required to our reporting.

Overseas Aid

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  when he expects to begin the My Aid scheme;
	(2)  how much funding from the public purse he expects to allocate to the My Aid scheme.

Andrew Mitchell: The commitment to
	"create new mechanisms to give British people a direct say in how an element of the aid budget is spent"
	was laid out in "The Coalition: Our Programme for Government". Further details are being developed and will be shared with Parliament in due course.

Overseas Aid

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to publish his Department's reviews of  (a) bilateral and  (b) multilateral aid.

Andrew Mitchell: I expect to publish conclusions from both the Bilateral Aid Review and Multilateral Aid Review by early 2011.

Overseas Aid

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what terms of reference he has established for his Department's reviews of  (a) bilateral,  (b ) multilateral and  (c) humanitarian aid.

Andrew Mitchell: The aim of the Bilateral Aid Review is to establish: the countries in which we should retain a presence, programmes which we should close and graduation strategies when closing; the overall rationale and sector priorities for the bilateral aid programme; results that should be prioritised in each country; levels of spending for each country to 2014; and the delivery mechanisms for bilateral aid.
	The aim of the Multilateral Aid Review is to ensure that DFID gets maximum value for money from our contributions to multilateral organisations. This review will consider: the relevance of the multilateral organisations to HMG development objectives and their ability to deliver results in country; the extent to which they have delivered and demonstrated value for the money in the past; their plans going forward and the likelihood of reform to improve their effectiveness; and make recommendations for how DFID should engage with the multilaterals in future to increase value for money.
	The Emergency Response Review will assess the UK Government's response to humanitarian emergencies. Key areas of focus will include value for money and impact; skills and expertise; co-ordination with UN, humanitarian organisations and the private sector; delivery of aid; co-ordination with the rest of Government; and use of new technologies.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department gave to Yemen in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: The amount of bilateral assistance provided to Yemen by the Department of International Development (DFID) is published in "Statistics on International Development", which is available on DFID's website at;
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-lntemational-Development-2009/
	DFID provided £19.3 million in bilateral assistance to Yemen in 2008-09.
	The figure for 2009-10 will be published later this month in line with the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which projects in Yemen his Department was funding on 1 January 2010.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development was funding a total of eight projects on 1 January 2010. These projects are listed as follows.
	
		
			  Project  Total budget (£ million)  Project time period 
			 Social Fund for Development 63.1 2004-10 
			 Basic Education Development Project 15 2005-12 
			 Secondary Education Development and Girls Access Programme 20 2009-14 
			 Maternal and Newborn Health 4.5 2005-12 
			 Justice and Policing 7.0 2008-13 
			 Humanitarian Assistance Programme 4.5 2009-10 
			 Government of Yemen Reform Agenda-Technical Advice on Communication 0.016 2009-10 
			 International Finance Corporation Private Sector Development 8.9 2008-11

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Budget: Females

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will commission and publish research on how the provisions of the budget will affect women.

Theresa May: I take this issue seriously. The Government Equalities Office has taken a range of measures to support other departments in taking account of equality considerations when assessing policy options in the context of identifying departmental savings. This has included holding a series of advisory meetings with other Government Departments, organising a training seminar attended by the Regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Further seminars will be held over the summer.
	I have no plans to commission separate work on how the provisions in the Budget will affect women.

SCOTLAND

Unemployment

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the level of unemployment in Scotland.

David Mundell: The Government have already announced their plans for a radical reform of the Welfare to Work system and improved support for the unemployed through implementation of the Work Programme.

Departmental Billing

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office encourages its contractors to pay their sub-contractors as quickly as possible. However, no information or statistics are held by the Scotland Office regarding this process.

Departmental Buildings

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Under the terms of its building leases the Office is required to maintain the buildings to an acceptable standard of decoration and repair. In the case of the Scotland Office's London premises this includes maintaining a grade one listed building of considerable architectural significance. The Scotland Office does not separately identify the costs of refurbishment from the routine repair and replacement of existing facilities. Over the period of the last 10 years, the Office has shared its accommodation with a number of other Government Departments.
	The following figures show the gross total for repairs and maintenance of Scotland Office buildings, but does not include the contribution by the Departments towards their share of the costs.
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000 150,354 
			 2000-01 224,719 
			 2001-02 179,335 
			 2002-03 99,310 
			 2003-04 179,853 
			 2004-05 374,129 
			 2005-06 331,803 
			 2006-07 355,071 
			 2007-08(1) 1,011,254 
			 2008-09 401,010 
			 2009-10 224,891 
			 (1) Under the terms of the building leases the Office is required to maintain the buildings to an acceptable standard of decoration and repair, which in 2007-08 included roof and exterior repairs to Dover House in London.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on televisions in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The office does not separately record the purchase of electrical devices and therefore the information requested for the early years could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost. The spend on televisions from 2007-08 has been identified and is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			 2007-08 2,076 
			 2008-09 341 
			 2009-10 0

Departmental Legal Costs

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland provides any necessary legal advice to the Scotland Office; the Scotland Office has incurred no expenditure on legal advice from private solicitors.

Departmental Lighting

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on light bulbs in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not separately record expenditure on light bulbs.

Departmental Marketing

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on logo design in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since then, the only expenditure incurred by the office on departmental branding was £2,988 in 1999-2000.

Departmental Official Cars

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office.

David Mundell: During the period 12 May to 12 July 2010, the Scotland Office spent £12,986 on the Government Car Service.

Departmental Official Cars

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his estimate is of the mileage travelled by each Minister in his Department in a Government car in  (a) May and  (b) June 2010.

David Mundell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, on 13 July 2010,  Official Report, column 624W.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on hospitality in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the office has spent the following on hospitality:
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000 (1)10,638 
			 2000-01 41,275 
			 2001-02 25,789 
			 2002-03 41,782 
			 2003-04 25,969 
			 2004-05 18,420 
			 2005-06 17,748 
			 2006-07 23,411 
			 2007-08 19,191 
			 2008-09 15,158 
			 2009-10 39,444 
			 (1) Part year 
		
	
	All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in  (a) May and  (b) June 2010.

David Mundell: Scotland Office expenditure on hospitality for events hosted by each Ministers is as follows:
	
		
			   May 2010  June 2010 (£) 
			 The Secretary of State for Scotland 0 3,734 
			 The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland 0 401 
		
	
	All expenditure incurred is in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Operating Costs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to reduce the running costs of his Department since his appointment.

David Mundell: All aspects of the running costs of the Scotland Office are subject to rigorous and systematic review as a matter of course. All expenditure incurred is in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Security

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on security in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the office has incurred the following expenditure on security:
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000 (1)59,921 
			 2000-01 169,654 
			 2001-02 136,307 
			 2002-03 146,628 
			 2003-04 178,607 
			 2004-05 185,172 
			 2005-06 183,924 
			 2006-07 184,492 
			 2007-08 209,119 
			 2008-09 243,327 
			 2009-10 237,585 
			 (1) Part year

Departmental Stationery

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on stationery in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Scotland Office provides support services to the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland (OAG) and prior to 2003-04, separate records were not maintained for the two Offices. The spend on stationery was as follows:
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000(1,2) 22,207 
			 2000-01(2) 25,270 
			 2001-02(2) 24,478 
			 2002-03(2) 25,294 
			 2003-04 16,858 
			 2004-05 11,314 
			 2005-06 16,415 
			 2006-07 17,955 
			 2007-08 18,943 
			 2008-09 19,468 
			 2009-10 17,922 
			 (1) Part year. (2) Scotland Office and OAG

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on employee away days in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the office held one staff away day in 2005-06, one in 2006-07, one in 2008-09, and one in 2009-10. The costs of each were £2,457 in 2006-07, £2,660 in 2008-09, and £557.48 in 2009-10.
	Information on the costs prior to 2006-07 are not separately identifiable.

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on employee training since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the following has been spent on training:
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000 10,846 
			 2000-01 21,364 
			 2001-02 10,058 
			 2002-03 25,202 
			 2003-04 23,483 
			 2004-05 11,123 
			 2005-06 13,370 
			 2006-07 13,969 
			 2007-08 14,041 
			 2008-09 23,165 
			 2009-10 25,297

Departmental Travel

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Travel costs for Scotland Office officials from that date are shown in the table.
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 1999-2000(1,2) 168,236 
			 2000-01(1) 299,279 
			 2001-02 219,876 
			 2002-03 241,529 
			 2003-04 181,872 
			 2004-05 140,185 
			 2005-06 146,087 
			 2006-07 146,204 
			 2007-08 138,025 
			 2008-09 156,530 
			 2009-10 165,957 
			 (1) In our earlier years, the costs of the Scotland Office were not discernable from those of the Office of the Advocate General. Therefore, the costs shown for the first two years include the costs of both Offices. (2) Part Year

Departmental Travel

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since the Government took office; and how much each of these persons has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period.

David Mundell: The Ministerial Code sets out use of official cars. Paragraph 10.12 states that Ministers are permitted to use an official car for official business and for home to office journeys within a reasonable distance of London on the understanding that they would normally be carrying classified papers on which they would be working.
	In addition, the Government publish on a quarterly basis, the expenses incurred by the most senior officials which includes use of the Government car service and other travel expenses.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Members' Staff: Data Protection

Glenda Jackson: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what legal advice the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority obtained on its publication of names and salaries of hon. Members staff.

Charles Walker: The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has informed me that it is not its practice to confirm whether or not legal advice has been obtained, or to release details of such legal advice where it has been obtained. No Members' staff names and salaries have yet been published as the policy on publication has yet to be finalised following the public consultation. The policy on publication will be announced in due course.

Members' Staff: Pay

Graham Allen: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority how many staff working for hon. Members  (a) were not paid and  (b) did not receive the correct amount of pay in (i) May and (ii) June 2010; and what steps the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is taking to correct this.

Charles Walker: In May, 17 members of MPs' staff did not receive their salary, and one member of staff received an incorrect salary, out of a total number of 156 staff then on the IPSA payroll. These equate to 11% and 0.7% of the total number of staff members. For June, the figures were 81 and six respectively out of 2,345 members of staff, or 3.5% and 0.3% of the total number.
	IPSA has identified a number of reasons for these errors. These reasons were: the complications of creating the Payroll with information provided by different sources and in different formats; incomplete information; late amendments to pay details and new contracts being issued. IPSA does not anticipate these problems continuing.

Members: Data Protection

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what assessment has been made of the extent of liability of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) for any financial implications for hon. Members in the event of the alleged unauthorised disclosure of personal details by the Authority.

Charles Walker: It has not been possible for IPSA to provide a response to this question by the named day. IPSA will respond as soon as possible.

Members: Data Protection

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what assessment has been made of the implications for hon. Members of the alleged unauthorised disclosure of their personal information by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Walker: An IPSA administrative report was temporarily available on the secure expenses website. IPSA removed the report immediately this was disclosed, notified the Information Commissioner, and ordered immediate changes by its IT contractor. IPSA will have these changes audited by a third party.
	IPSA takes these matters very seriously. However, no sensitive personal data were made available to the public, the report was only available for a short period of time, and the report was accessed by only five MPs and six nominated proxies. These individuals are being contacted directly.

Members: Data Protection

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what steps will be taken by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to notify hon. Members in cases where personal details have been placed on the Authority's website and were accessible to other hon. Members and their staff.

Charles Walker: An IPSA administrative report was temporarily available on the secure expenses website. IPSA removed the report immediately this was disclosed, notified the Information Commissioner, ordered immediate changes by its IT contractor and will have these changes audited by a third party. The report was only available for a short period of time, and the report was accessed by only five MPs and six nominated proxies. These individuals are being contacted directly.
	If personal data had been made available to the public, IPSA would notify the Members concerned. However, this has not happened.

Members: Security

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has sought advice on the security implications for hon. Members following the alleged unauthorised disclosure of their personal details.

Charles Walker: IPSA has not sought advice specifically on the security implications for Hon. Members. The information was released only to a small number of MPs and their nominated proxies through the Expenses@Work system. IPSA takes incidents such as this extremely seriously and is now conducting a full investigation to determine the exact types of data that were exposed and what the scope of exposure was. When it has this information, IPSA will review the implications and take any appropriate action.

Standards

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what sanction can be applied to staff of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority where  (a) a substantive reply to an hon. Member is not given and  (b) a payment to an hon. Member is not processed within a reasonable time.

Charles Walker: There are no penalties. IPSA is currently dealing with very large volumes of queries and claims. While this is having an effect on the average time required to process queries and claims, IPSA is confident that the average will reduce significantly over time.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions since 1997 Royal Navy aircraft carriers have been used in humanitarian operations; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his assessment is of the role of Royal Navy aircraft carriers in  (a) constituting a sea base and  (b) projecting air power from the sea; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what contribution Royal Navy aircraft carriers have made to the campaign in  (a) the Falklands,  (b) the Gulf,  (c) Afghanistan and  (d) Iraq.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 July 2010
	Royal Navy aircraft carriers operate as a sea base to embark a wide range of military capabilities, including fast jet aircraft, helicopters, ground troops and special forces elements. When land bases are unavailable or when host nation support has been denied, Royal Navy carriers make a significant contribution to multi-national sea-based forces by providing a secure platform from which operations ashore and in the maritime and air environments can be projected and sustained.
	The aircraft carriers in the Falkland's Task Group formed the backbone of the UK's response as the only platform capable of delivering the required air power to secure eventual campaign success. Land basing was not an option; without the carriers and their air groups, the retaking of the Islands would have been an untenable aim.
	UK aircraft carriers have operated in the Gulf on several occasions since 1991. They have been involved in the operations to police the No-Fly Zones in Southern Iraq and have been a significant and important part of the UK's coalition contribution and national diplomatic engagement in the region. UK operations in Afghanistan were initiated in 2001 by a sea-based operation. HMS Illustrious was one of the first British units in theatre at the start of the Afghanistan operation, providing the delivery of early entry land forces into theatre . In 2003, the British landing on the Al Faw peninsula (its major contribution in commencing operations in Iraq) was launched from HMS Ocean and from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.
	The full list of Royal Navy aircraft carriers used in humanitarian operations since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Date  Forces involved  Area  Event 
			 26 August 1997 HMS Illustrious Bay of Biscay Launched helicopters to stand by French VLCC Once with engine room fire. Fire extinguished without outside assistance, but Illustrious stood by until Once was able to, get under way. 
			 7 December 1997 HMS Invincible Mediterranean In joint operation with Italian Navy, rescued crew of MV Megan after vessel suffered engine failure and was foundering in heavy seas 130 nautical miles east of Sicily. 
			 7 May to 16 June 2000 HMS Illustrious Sierra Leone National Contingent Capability. UK Joint Operation mounted in support of the Government of Sierra Leone and to ensure safe evacuation of British nationals. 
			 27 September 2000 HMS Invincible and Task Group Mediterranean Aided search and rescue operations following Greek passenger ferry disaster (MV Express Samina) off the Greek Island of Paros. 
			 July to August 2006 HMS Illustrious Lebanon Evacuation of British Nationals and other entitled persons. 
			 April 2010 HMS Ark Royal Spain HMS Ark Royal was standing by to provide assistance in the rescue of entitled military and civilian personnel stranded by volcanic ash cloud.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much on average was paid by service personnel for  (a) service family and  (b) single living service accommodation in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 19 July 2010
	The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many families have been evicted from service family accommodation in each of the last five years; and for what reason in each such case.

Andrew Robathan: Service family accommodation (SFA) is provided to accommodate entitled service personnel and their families.
	When occupants cease to be entitled to SFA and do not vacate, the Department is required to take steps to recover possession in order for properties to be returned to their intended purpose. In the first instance, Defence Estates (DE) will write to occupants advising that they are required to vacate the property within 93 days. DE will be as flexible as possible, and will extend this so as to accommodate children's schooling, holidays, etc or to allow occupants as much time as possible to secure alternative accommodation arrangements.
	Information on the number of eviction orders served on occupants of SFA in the last five years is set out in the following table by calendar year. Information is not held centrally for the whole of the UK until 2008. Information relating to evictions in Great Britain only is provided for the earlier years:
	
		
			  Period  Number of eviction orders 
			 2005 (GB) 102 
			 2006 (GB) 62 
			 2007 (GB) 84 
			 2008 (UK) from April 113 
			 2009 (UK) 91 
			 2010 (to 15 July) (UK) 35 
		
	
	Records showing the reasons why entitlement to SFA ceased in each case are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons eviction notices issued to tenants of service family accommodation use the term violent trespass; and if he will consider removing the reference.

Andrew Robathan: So far as records show, the Ministry of Defence has not used the term "violent trespass" in any correspondence with occupants of service family accommodation.
	We do however, recognise the term "violent profits", the Scottish legal equivalent of "damages for trespass", in regard to monies owed by irregular occupants of service family accommodation in lieu of rental payments. For legal reasons we have no plans to cease using the term.

Armed Forces: Housing

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department provides to secure alternative accommodation for families vacating service accommodation.

Andrew Robathan: All service personnel can access information held by the Joint Service Housing Advice Office (JSHAO) throughout the country and overseas. The JSHAO offers financial advice for future housing options including access to the Government's affordable housing schemes where most service personnel have priority status that continues for 12 months post discharge date. Guidance was issued in Scotland in 2009 to ensure that service personnel are not disadvantaged when applying for social housing. Housing legislation was amended in 2008 in England to enable service personnel to gain a local connection through employment or residence while still serving when applying for social housing.
	In addition, within each local Defence Housing Information Centre, there is a Tenancy Officer who can signpost the options available for families vacating service accommodation.
	For single personnel Single Persons Accommodation Centre for Ex Services (SPACES) aims to assist single service leavers with securing accommodation. Our latest project 'The Beacon' in Catterick complements Mike Jackson House in Aldershot and The Galleries in Richmond which helps us to reduce the potential of a single person leaving the armed forces and becoming homeless.

Armed Forces: Officers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers left service in  (a) the Royal Navy,  (b) the Army and  (c) the Royal Air Force in each of the last six years.

Andrew Robathan: The numbers of officers that have left the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force (excluding Gurkhas, full-time reserve personnel and mobilised reservists) in each of the last six years are listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Royal Navy  Army  Royal Air Force 
			 2008-09 520 1,270 640 
			 2007-08 580 1,490 760 
			 2006-07 500 1,330 850 
			 2005-06 520 1,070 700 
			 2004-05 510 1,100 700 
			 2003-04 470 950 620

Armed Forces: Parental Leave

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many serving members of the  (a) army,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) Royal Air Force have taken paternity leave in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many serving members of the  (a) army,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) Royal Air Force have taken maternity leave in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: The number of armed forces personnel who have taken either maternity or paternity leave, during the period 14 July 2009 until 13 July 2010 inclusive, broken down by service, is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			   Absence type( 1) 
			   Paternity( 2)  Maternity( 3) 
			 Army 1,170 880 
			 Royal Navy(4) 250 330 
			 RAF 890 560 
			 Total 2,310 1,770 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Personnel are only counted once if they have had more than one instance of paternity leave during the 12 months. Personnel have been counted if they have had one day or more of paternity leave during the 12 months. (3) Personnel are only counted once if they have had more than one instance of ordinary maternity leave and/or additional maternity leave during the 12 months. Personnel have been counted if they have had one day or more of either type of maternity leave during the 12 months. (4 )Includes Royal Marines.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on service personnel paying insurance premiums for their uniforms; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Personnel are eligible to claim compensation from Ministry of Defence (MOD) for loss or damage to their own personal effects resulting from the exigencies of the service or from MOD negligence.
	A wide range of personal kit and uniform is issued to service personnel, both on joining and throughout their careers. Personnel are made aware of the importance and availability of a variety of private personal insurance policies covering circumstances of loss for which they may be held liable, outside of those situations already covered by the MOD.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the use of bearskin pelts in ceremonial caps worn by service personnel; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The bearskin cap has been associated with the Guards Division since a Royal Warrant was issued by King George III in 1768. Ceremonial caps will continue to be manufactured from bearskin pelts until such time as a suitable or practical faux alternative is identified by industry. We welcome proposals from manufacturers for caps of the same design made from alternative materials. Indeed, two caps made from faux fur were subject to a full trial by the Guards Division in 2005, but their performance was disappointing and they were rejected as unsuitable. To be acceptable, any alternative would need to meet or exceed the affordability and performance standards of the natural bearskin cap.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department plans to assess  (a) export potential,  (b) fire resistance and  (c) the number of jobs likely to be created or retained in the UK as part of its evaluation of the new light protected patrol vehicle.

Peter Luff: holding answer 20 July 2010
	The objective of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) programme is to meet the capability requirement of the armed forces and to do this by selecting the compliant tender which offers the best value for money. Fire resistance is one of many safety and legislative requirements that are assessed. Both of the current solutions for the contract are UK designed and developed and will be manufactured in the UK. It is anticipated, therefore, that whichever company is successful in winning the contract, it will create and sustain jobs in the UK. The LPPV will have strong export potential. HMG will provide maximum support to any export campaigns.

Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions his Department has had with  (a) residents of Arborfield and  (b) Wokingham borough council on the relocation of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 July 2010
	 Officials of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) are in regular discussions with Wokingham borough council and adjoining landowners to prepare a planning application for Arborfield Garrison, that includes the redevelopment and re-use of the land in accordance with the council's core strategy vision.
	However, the preparation and evaluation of options for a redevelopment scheme has meant that there have only been limited opportunities for discussion recently. Once the scheme has progressed to a suitable point, it is MOD's intention to hold an open exhibition at Arborfield Garrison as part of a wider consultation seeking public views on the emerging scheme. This will probably take place later this year.

Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the use of Arborfield Garrison following the departure of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 July 2010
	 Arborfield Garrison forms part of a wider area designated under current plans as a strategic development location in Wokingham borough council's core strategy, to accommodate a minimum of 3,500 dwellings as part of a mixed-use development.

Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to vacate Arborfield Garrison.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 19 July 2010
	 Under current plans for the Defence Training Rationalisation Project, elements of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers based at Arborfield Garrison will start vacating the site from 2014.

Defence Fire and Rescue Service

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the pay and benefit arrangements are for those employed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its contractors to provide fire protection services on his Department's estate.

Andrew Robathan: Ministry of Defence (MOD) fire-fighters' pay has an analogous link to local authority fire and rescue service pay rates. Their benefits are in line with MOD civil service policy.
	Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel are paid and receive benefits in line with single service policy.
	Locally employed civilians' pay and benefits depend on where they are employed. In Cyprus this is an assimilated link to the Republic of Cyprus Fire Service. In Gibraltar the link is to the UK Fire and Rescue Service. In Germany a collective tariff agreement is negotiated between the legal employer and the Higher Level Works Council.
	Pay and benefits arrangements for contracted staff are a matter between the individual and the contractor.

Defence Fire and Rescue Service

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what duty of care requirements there are upon his Department in respect of those employed to provide fire protection services by  (a) his Department and  (b) contractors engaged by his Department.

Andrew Robathan: The duty of care requirements placed upon the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of those employed to provide fire protection services to the Department are based on the principles of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. This includes the provision of safe systems of work to personnel engaged in the delivery of Ministry of Defence (MOD) fire protection services, and is based on guidance and standards provided by Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire Officers' Association and what can be deemed to be best practise followed by the UK Fire and Rescue Services. Some of these safe systems are developed to take account of the unique risks present across the MOD estate.
	The duty of care to the contractor-provided fire protection services is primarily the responsibility of their employer, with the Department limiting its responsibilities to the standard of professional fire fighting training it provides to the contractor.

Defence Fire and Rescue Service

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department incurred on its Fire Study in  (a) 2000 and  (b) 2005.

Andrew Robathan: Fire Study 2000 was commissioned in 1999 to review the Department's fire services and to develop an optimum organisation in line with structural changes elsewhere in the Department. The study ran for two years and incurred approximate costs of £700,000 primarily covering both civil servant and contractor manpower.
	Fire Study 2000 was then subsumed within the Airfield Support Service Project (ASSP) Private Finance Initiative, (PFI) which included fire services. Following the cancellation of the ASSP PFI, Fire Study 2000 was reviewed and updated in the form of Fire Study 2005, prior to its implementation. Fire Study 2005 incurred approximate costs of £10,000 entirely for manpower.

Defence Fire and Rescue Service

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fire incidents on his Department's property were attended by firefighters in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: The 10 years' worth of information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The following table shows figures which have been collated since the formation of the Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007 (May to December) 6,710 
			 2008 9,260 
			 2009 9,590 
			 2010 (January to May) 4,160 
		
	
	A fire incident is defined as calls to buildings, vehicles, maritime vessels and outdoor structure, or any fire involving the rescue of people. These figures include false alarms.

Departmental Consultants

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget for payments to consultants to his Department is for 2010-11.

Andrew Robathan: Summaries of Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure on external assistance, of which consultancy is a part, are available in the Libraries of both Houses for the years 1995-96 to 2008-09. The final spend for 2008-09 (the latest available figure) was £106 million. External assistance includes management consultancy, specialist lawyers, commercial bankers and IT expertise. Consultants can help to increase efficiency and effectiveness, but we employ them only when we cannot do the work ourselves and where we can demonstrate value for money.
	The MOD's budget has a number of layers of delegated budgetary responsibility and budget holders make decisions as to their particular requirements to employ consultants on a case by case basis. All spend on consultancy will be in line with the tighter spending controls announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 May 2010 and is expected to be a great deal lower than previous years.

Departmental Marketing

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his  (a) Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	As with all items of expenditure, what we spend on logo design must be necessary, appropriate, cost effective and an admissible charge to public funds. We are substantially reducing the number of logos, both to strengthen corporate identity and to save money.

Departmental Security

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: Defence Security is a process of risk management to which all who work in or with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) contribute in some form, and which is increasingly embedded in the general management of the MOD. It is not therefore possible to assess its overall cost with meaningful precision.
	However, the costs of providing guarding and policing services by the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency (MDPGA), established on 1 April 2004, and of providing personnel vetting by the Defence Vetting Agency (DVA), have been as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Net operating costs (£ million) 
			 2004-05 297 
			 2005-06 324 
			 2006-07 331 
			 2007-08 334 
			 2008-09 355 
		
	
	The 2009-10 operating costs of both Agencies are intended for publication in their annual report and accounts, due to be laid before Parliament before the summer recess.
	The role of the MDPGA is to combat the crime and security risks faced by the armed forces and the MOD. The Agency has responsibilities for: the protection of the nuclear deterrent, business continuity, defensive armed policing, uniformed policing, guarding, crime investigation, international capability and policing and guarding policy.
	The role of the DVA is to conduct national security vetting and risk-based personnel security assessments.

Departmental Temporary Employment

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many temporary employees work in  (a) his Department and  (b) bodies financed from its budget.

Andrew Robathan: In November 2009, the Defence Board implemented restrictions on the engagement of agency staff, also called Manpower Substitutes. The People Pay and Pensions Agency (PPPA) provide a service to engage Manpower Substitutes for the Department, which covers:
	Clerical and administration grades
	Interim professional grades
	Industrial and security grades
	For other grades employed by the Ministry of Defence, individual business units are still making their own arrangements to engage agency staff in some circumstances. The number of temporary staff currently employed via the PPPA as of 15 July 2010 stands at 486.
	The information for bodies funded by the Department is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee away days in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the mileage travelled by each Minister in his Department in a Government car in  (a) May and  (b) June 2010.

Andrew Robathan: The Government Car and Despatch Agency does not collect data relating to the mileage travelled by individual Ministers in a government car.

Ex-servicemen: Mental Health Services

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to provide psychological support to veterans who need it.

Andrew Robathan: The Government are committed to providing effective, through-life, health services for our service and ex-service personnel. The Prime Minister has asked Dr Andrew Murrison MP to conduct an independent study into the provision of Ministry of Defence (MOD) and national health service (NHS) support and services to the armed forces and ex-service personnel and to make recommendations for improvement particularly in the area of mental health.
	NHS Veterans Community Mental Health Pilot schemes have also been established in six NHS trusts around the country. They are currently being evaluated with a report expected in the autumn. The findings of the evaluation report will inform broader rollout of veterans' mental health services across the NHS in 2011-12. Additionally, the Medical Assessment Programme at St Thomas' Hospital in London is available to serving and former armed forces personnel who have deployed on operations since 1982.
	The Government have also recently confirmed an additional £2 million to allow the Department of Health to work with strategic partners, including Combat Stress, to ensure the best treatment possible is available for veterans with mental health problems.

Government Departments: Carbon Emissions

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent meetings he has had with the  (a) Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and  (b) Minister for the Cabinet Office on the proposed 10 per cent. reduction in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from the central government estate in the next 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence has not had any recent meetings with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change or the Minister for the Cabinet Office. The Defence Minister for International Security and Strategy (Mr Howarth) attended a Ministerial Working Group on 10 June 2010 chaired by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Chris Huhne). The working group was set up at the Prime Minister's direction to oversee the delivery of the Prime Minister's commitment earlier in the year to reduce central Government carbon emissions by 10% in 12 months.

Merlin Helicopters

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many naval Merlin helicopters are not due to be upgraded; and for what purposes such helicopters are to be used.

Peter Luff: The Naval Merlin fleet currently comprises 42 aircraft of which four are in storage pending a decision on future use or disposal. On current plans we have agreed a contract with Lockheed Martin to upgrade 30 Merlin Mk1 s through the Merlin Mk1 Capability Sustainment programme. Further Mk1s may be modified or upgraded subject to the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Merlin Helicopters

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many naval Merlin helicopters have been built; how many of these have been lost in  (a) action or  (b) accidents; and how many have been, or are to be struck-off strength for any other reason.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has taken delivery of a total of 44 Naval Merlin helicopters: none of these aircraft have been lost in action; two of these aircraft have been lost in accidents; of the remaining 42 Naval Merlin aircraft, four are in storage pending a decision on their future use or disposal.

Met Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has defined the public task of the Met Office.

Andrew Robathan: Yes, the Ministry of Defence has defined the Met Office's public task and it is published on their website:
	www.metoffice.gov.uk

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency: Databases

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the database used by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency to communicate with its clients is available for use by third parties.

Andrew Robathan: The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency administers a number of databases that contain information on serving and former Service personnel. Direct access to these is not available to third parties, but within strict parameters the Agency will pass on information from third parties to its clients. All such transactions are carried out in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and information assurance procedures.

CABINET OFFICE

Cabinet: Bradford

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost to the public purse was of  (a) travel and accommodation,  (b) venues hire and associated costs,  (c) printed materials and  (d) security arrangements in respect of the recent Cabinet meeting in Bradford.

Francis Maude: The central cost of the Cabinet meeting in Bradford was £3,029.50 including venue hire and associated costs.
	Ministers combined their attendance with visits to services and projects in the area. Departments will have incurred additional costs associated with travel to Leeds station but this information is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.
	The only security provision was that provided by the police and the question of cost is one for the relevant police force.

Civil Servants: Bristol

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants are employed by each  (a) Department,  (b) executive agency and  (c) other employer in Bristol.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning, how many civil servants are employed by each (a) Department, (b) executive agency and (c) other employer in Bristol. (8670).
	In order to provide the information requested for the number of civil servants employed by each department, executive agency and other employer in Bristol, ad hoc analysis has been required. This analysis is based on Civil Service Statistics 2009, the latest data available.
	The requested data for Bristol are attached at Annex A.
	
		
			  Annex A: Civil service employment in Bristol; (a) Departments (b) agencies (c) other employer( 1,2) -All employees 
			   Headcount 
			  (a) Departments  
			 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (excluding agencies) 30 
			 Department for Children, Schools and Families 40 
			 Department for Communities and local Government (excluding agencies) 90 
			 Department for Culture Media and Sport (excluding agencies) - 
			 Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (excluding agencies) 100 
			 Department for Transport (excluding agencies) 20 
			 Department for Work and Pensions (excluding agencies) 30 
			 Department of Health (excluding agencies) 10 
			 Home Office (excluding agencies) 20 
			 Ministry of Defence 100 
			 Ministry of Justice (excluding agencies) 40 
			 Central Office of Information 20 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 150 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 890 
			 Office for Standards in Education 750 
			 Office of Rail Regulation 10 
			 All employees 2,280 
			   
			  (b) Executive agencies  
			 Animal Health 40 
			 Driving Standards Agency 20 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency - 
			 Highways Agency 240 
			 HM Courts Service 240 
			 Identity and Passport Service 10 
			 Insolvency Service 50 
			 Jobcentre Plus 1,010 
			 Meat Hygiene Service - 
			 National Offender Management Service 380 
			 Pensions Disability and Carers Service 220 
			 Planning Inspectorate 810 
			 Rural Payments Agency 30 
			 The Rent Service 20 
			 Tribunals Service 50 
			 Valuation Office 70 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 360 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 90 
			 All employees 3,630 
			   
			  (c) Other employer  
			 Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service 50 
			 Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission 10 
			 The Health and Safety Executive 60 
			 All employees 120 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten, and numbers less than five are represented by '-' 2. These data exclude civil servants seconded to outside the civil service where the department is paying less than 50% of the individual's salary.  Source: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey

Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants have conditions of employment that would entitle them to six years' salary on redundancy; and what criteria need to be fulfilled by a civil servant to have such an entitlement.

Francis Maude: Compensation on redundancy is payable to civil servants under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. The amount payable depends on age and length of service of the individual when they are made redundant. The Employers' Pensions Guide, issued by Cabinet Office to employers participating in the Civil Service pension arrangements, gives employers guidance on the current costs of redundancies, and shows the circumstances where packages worth six years' salary would be payable. The Employers' Guide is available on the Civil Service website
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions
	and a current copy has been placed in the Library. Information on the number of civil servants who would currently get a package worth six years' salary if made redundant can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 6 July 2010,  Official Report, column 3WS, for information on how the Government intend to limit the costs of future compensation payments.

Civil Service: Conferences

Graham Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the cost of  (a) venue hire and  (b) reimbursement of speakers for the Civil Service Live event was for the event in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse of maintaining the Civil Service Live website has been since its establishment;
	(3)  what the cost to the public purse of organising and running Civil Service Live was in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010;
	(4)  how many employees of his Department attended Civil Service Live in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to his Department of such attendance in each such year.

Francis Maude: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by Dods (the publisher of Civil Service World). This year's event focused on efficiency and value for money. In its first year, 2008, the venue hire cost was £211,588 including VAT. In 2009 and 2010 the venue hire costs were covered by Dods. The Cabinet Office does not, therefore, hold any information on the venue costs for these years. The Cabinet Office has never paid speakers to speak at the event. The Civil Service Live website is owned and maintained by Dods and there are no costs to the public purse.
	In terms of numbers of employees attending the event, the overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. The Cabinet Office does not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends.
	Civil Service Live is a cost-effective way for civil servants of all grades to share ideas about innovative ways of working that will help them achieve more for less. It is free for all civil servants to attend. There will have been some travel and subsistence costs for delegates, which will have followed the travel and subsistence guidelines set by the Department.

Departmental Billing

David Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information the Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by his Department to pay the invoices of its sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The requirement to pay sub-contractors within 30 days is passed on to all contractors through the Department's standard terms and conditions of contract. However, the Department does not routinely monitor the prompt payment of sub-contractors. To do so would require individuals to establish contact with all suppliers to the Cabinet Office in order to ascertain their prompt payment times.

Departmental Pay

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was paid in remuneration in total to civil servants in his Department in 2009-10.

Francis Maude: The total remuneration paid to civil servants during the financial year 2009-10 amounted to £80.668 million. This is reported in the staff costs note to the Cabinet Office Resource Accounts 2009-10.

Flexible Working

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the number of employees who work flexible hours in businesses which employ  (a) up to 10,  (b) up to 50 and  (c) over 250 members of staff.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the recent estimate is of the number of employees who work flexible hours in businesses which employ (a) up to 10, (b) up to 50 and (c) over 250 members of staff. (6726)
	Information on employees who work flexible hours by workplace size is provided in the attached table. These estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. Estimates of business size are not available from the LFS.
	The LFS is a survey of residents in private households and therefore excludes people living in communal establishments such as hostels and residential homes. As with any sample survey, the estimates provided are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of employees( 1)  by workplace size( 2)  who work flexible hours-Three month periods ending December 2009: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			   Level (Thousand)  Percentage 
			 Up to 10 334 7 
			 Up to 49 499 8 
			 Between 50 and 249 1,028 18 
			 Over 250 547 9 
			 Don't know but under 25 29 5 
			 Don't know but between 50 and 499 78 9 
			 (1) excluding those on college based schemes. (2) Refers to the total number of employees at the respondent's workplace, not the overall size of the employer. It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.)  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey

Markets: Manpower

Ann Coffey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his most recent estimate is of the total number of people employed in  (a) street markets,  (b) fixed markets,  (c) occasional markets and  (d) wholesale markets.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the most recent estimate is of the total number of people employed in (a) street markets, (b) fixed markets, (c) occasional markets and (d) wholesale markets. 9906
	The most recent estimates are for the three-month period January-March 2010 and estimate that 16,000 people were employed as market and street traders and assistants. A further breakdown of this occupation is not available.
	These estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. The LFS is a survey of residents in private households and therefore excludes people living in communal establishments such as hostels and residential homes.
	As with any sample survey, the estimates provided are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Mortality Rates: Alcoholic Drinks

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the mortality rate was for alcohol-related conditions in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Wales and  (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the mortality rate was for alcohol-related conditions in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. (8882)
	The table attached provides the age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population where the underlying cause was alcohol-related, in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland, from 1999 to 2008 (the latest year available).
	The figures for alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom by sex and broad age group, are published annually on the National Statistics website and are available for the years 1991 to 2008 at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14496&Pos&ColRank=l&.Rank=272
	
		
			  Table 1: Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population( 1)  with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 2) , constituent countries of the United Kingdom( 3) , 1999 to 2008( 4) 
			  Persons 
			   England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland 
			   Deaths  Rate  Deaths  Rate  Deaths  Rate  Deaths  Rate 
			 1999 4,942 10 323 10 1,249 23 174 11 
			 2000 5,039 10 340 11 1,292 24 190 12 
			 2001 5,479 10 385 12 1,398 26 206 13 
			 2002 5,592 11 363 11 1,487 27 238 14 
			 2003 5,984 11 412 12 1,525 27 214 13 
			 2004 6,036 11 416 13 1,478 26 255 15 
			 2005 6,197 11 406 12 1,513 27 246 15 
			 2006 6,517 12 430 13 1,546 27 248 14 
			 2007 6,544 12 477 14 1,399 25 283 16 
			 2008 6,771 12 541 16 1,411 24 276 16 
			 (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1999 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards, for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and ICD-9 for the year 1999 and ICD-10 for the years 2000 to 2008 for Scotland. The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, are shown in the following boxes. (3) Based on boundaries as of 2009. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1: Alcohol-related causes of death- International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-9 code 
			 Alcoholic psychoses 291 
			 Alcohol dependence syndrome 303 
			 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol 305.0 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 425.5 
			 Alcoholic fatty liver 571.0 
			 Acute alcoholic hepatitis 571.1 
			 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver 571.2 
			 Alcoholic liver damage, unspecified 571.3 
			 Chronic hepatitis 571.4 
			 Cirrhosis of liver without mention of alcohol 571.5 
			 Other chronic non-alcoholic liver disease 571.8 
			 Unspecified chronic liver disease without mention of alcohol 571.9 
			 Accidental poisoning by alcohol E860 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 2: Alcohol-related causes of death- International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

NDPBs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made on his review of non-departmental public bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The Government are committed to reducing the number of public bodies to increase accountability and reduce costs. To this end, I am working with Departments to assess the public bodies that fall within their areas of responsibility against three tests: do they perform a technical function; do they require political impartiality; or do they act independently to establish facts. We expect to publish the outcome of this assessment in the autumn.

Perinatal Mortality

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many stillbirths were recorded in each local authority in  (a) England,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Northern Ireland in the latest year for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many stillbirths were recorded in each local authority in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in the latest year for which figures are available. (9885)
	A stillbirth is defined as a child which has issued forth from its mother after the twenty-fourth week of pregnancy, and which did not at any time after becoming completely expelled from its mother breathe or show other signs of life.
	The tables attached provide the number of stillbirths in 2008 (the most recent year for which figures are available) for each Local Authority in (a) England and Wales (Table 1); each Council Area in (b) Scotland (Table 2) and each Local Government District in (c) Northern Ireland (Table 3).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of stillbirths in each local authority in England and Wales, 2008 
			  Region  Number 
			 England 3,427 
			   
			  North East  
			 County Durham UA 37 
			 Darlington UA 7 
			 Hartlepool UA 8 
			 Middlesbrough UA 11 
			 Northumberland UA 18 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA 5 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA 13 
			 Gateshead 12 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 17 
			 North Tyneside 19 
			 South Tyneside 8 
			 Sunderland 24 
			   
			  North West  
			 Blackburn with Darwen UA 15 
			 Blackpool UA 16 
			 Cheshire East UA 16 
			 Cheshire West and Chester UA 24 
			 Cumbria 13 
			   
			 Greater Manchester (Met County) 205 
			   
			 Bolton 30 
			 Bury 11 
			 Manchester 61 
			 Oldham 15 
			 Rochdale 13 
			 Salford 17 
			 Stockport 13 
			 Tameside 10 
			 Trafford 10 
			 Wigan 25 
			   
			 Halton UA 8 
			 Lancashire County 72 
			   
			 Merseyside (Met County) 69 
			   
			 Knowsley 12 
			 Liverpool 25 
			 Sefton 8 
			 St Helens 9 
			 Wirral 15 
			 Solihull 11 
			 Walsall 22 
			 Wolverhampton 22 
			   
			 Worcestershire County 30 
			   
			  East of England  
			 Bedford UA 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 19 
			 Central Bedfordshire UA 19 
			 Essex 62 
			 Hertfordshire 52 
			 Luton UA 26 
			 Norfolk 36 
			 Peterborough UA 23 
			 Southend-on-Sea UA 11 
			 Suffolk 35 
			 Thurrock UA 15 
			   
			  London  
			 Inner London 303 
			 Camden 14 
			 Hackney and City of London 29 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 11 
			 Haringey 24 
			 Islington 16 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 10 
			 Lambeth 37 
			 Lewisham 32 
			 Newham 37 
			 Southwark 33 
			 Tower Hamlets 15 
			 Wandsworth 31 
			 Westminster 14 
			   
			 Outer London 427 
			 Barking and Dagenham 28 
			 Barnet 25 
			 Bexley 15 
			 Brent 36 
			 Bromley 29 
			 Croydon 36 
			 Ealing 32 
			 Enfield 34 
			 Greenwich 24 
			 Harrow 12 
			 Havering 10 
			 Hillingdon 23 
			 Hounslow 19 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10 
			 Merton 16 
			 Redbridge 30 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of stillbirths( 1)  by council area, Scotland, 2008 
			  Council area( 2)  Number 
			 Scotland 325 
			 Aberdeen City 9 
			 Aberdeenshire 14 
			 Angus 8 
			 Argyll and Bute 4 
			 Clackmannanshire 2 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 7 
			 Dundee City 15 
			 East Ayrshire 7 
			 East Dunbartonshire 6 
			 East Lothian 7 
			 East Renfrewshire 4 
			 Edinburgh, City of 26 
			 Eilean Siar 0 
			 Falkirk 10 
			 Fife 30 
			 Glasgow City 46 
			 Highland 10 
			 Inverclyde 6 
			 Midlothian 3 
			 Moray 8 
			 North Ayrshire 5 
			 North Lanarkshire 20 
			 Orkney Islands 3 
			 Perth and Kinross 10 
			 Renfrewshire 9 
			 Scottish Borders 8 
			 Shetland Islands 0 
			 South Ayrshire 5 
			 South Lanarkshire 17 
			 Stirling 6 
			 West Dunbartonshire 8 
			 West Lothian 12 
			 (1) Stillbirths registered in 2008. (2) By mother's area of usual residence.  Source: General Registrar Office for Scotland: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/annual-report-publications/ 
		
	
	
		
			  Table  3: Number of stillbirths( 1)  by local government district, Northern Ireland, 2008 
			  Local government district( 2)  Number 
			 Northern Ireland 115 
			   
			 Antrim 2 
			 Ards 1 
			 Armagh 3 
			 Ballymena 4 
			 Ballymoney 2 
			 Banbridge 5 
			 Belfast 18 
			 Carrickfergus 2 
			 Castlereagh - 
			 Coleraine 4 
			 Cookstown 3 
			 Craigavon 9 
			 Derry 7 
			 Down 4 
			 Dungannon 6 
			 Fermanagh 2 
			 Larne 1 
			 Limavady 1 
			 Lisburn 11 
			 Magherafelt 6 
			 Moyle 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 6 
			 Newtownabbey 4 
			 North Down 5 
			 Omagh 4 
			 Strabane 4 
			 (1) Stillbirths registered in 2008. (2) By mother's usual area of residence.  Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

Public Bodies Bill

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public bodies will be affected by the proposed Public Bodies Bill; and whether he plans to undertake consultation on the proposals in that Bill.

Francis Maude: The proposed Public Bodies Bill will provide the legislative underpinning for the Government's commitment to increase the accountability of public bodies and reduce their number and cost. I am currently working with Departments to assess the public bodies that fall within their areas of responsibility against three tests: do they perform a technical function; do they require political impartiality; or do they act independently to establish facts. We expect to publish the outcome of this assessment in the autumn, and plan to introduce the Bill in October.
	The House will have the opportunity to scrutinise reforms during the passage of any legislation to implement changes.

Public Bodies Bill

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what powers he would have to use delegated legislation to merge or abolish non-departmental public bodies under the provisions in his Department's proposed Public Bodies Bill.

Francis Maude: The proposed Public Bodies Bill will provide the legislative underpinning for the Government's commitment to increase the accountability of public bodies and reduce their number and cost.
	I intend that the Bill will grant enabling powers to Secretaries of State to make orders to abolish, merge, transfer or modify the functions of named public bodies as well as to make consequential provision for staff, property and pensions liability.

TREASURY

Academies: Finance

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to make specific tax arrangements in respect of the  (a) revenue and  (b) capital funds of academy schools.

Justine Greening: The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes are considered as part of the normal Budget process. Academy trusts are exempted charities that can claim exemption from corporation tax. However, they are not exempt from VAT.

Bank Notes

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to inform the public of the withdrawal from circulation of the old 20 pound note.

Justine Greening: At the time of the introduction of the £20 note featuring Adam Smith in 2007, the Bank of England indicated that the £20 note featuring Sir Edward Elgar would be withdrawn in due course. The Bank announced on 8 March 2010 that the Elgar note would be withdrawn on 30 June 2010 and has since then undertaken a range of national and regional publicity. Further information is available at:
	http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/twentyv/index.htm

Departmental Human Resources

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997.

Justine Greening: The HR Profession across Whitehall has only collected the cost of Human Resources for Departments against standard definitions from 2008 onwards.
	For 2008-09 Treasury HR costs were 2.6% of organisational running costs, equivalent to £3.99 million in that year. These figures were published in December 2009 in 'Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government' (Cm7753). Figures for earlier years are not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Official Residences

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any domestic properties in the gift of the Government have been allocated to the use of Ministers in his Department.

Justine Greening: The Chancellor of the Exchequer will have the use of the flat above number 10 Downing street. This is an official residence, used in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	He also has the use of Dorneywood. Dorneywood is managed by independent trustees for use as an official residence, as has been the case under successive Administrations.

Departmental Pay

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in remuneration in total to civil servants in his Department in 2009-10.

Justine Greening: Details of the Department's spending on remuneration of permanent staff will be shown in the Department's 2009-10 Resource Accounts, which are due to be published shortly and will be available from:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

EC Budget

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to hold discussions at EU level on reducing the EU budget by the same proportion as reductions in member states' national expenditure over the next EU budgetary period.

Justine Greening: The Commission's initial proposal for the EU budget over the next Financial Perspective, which runs from 2014-20, is expected early next year.
	At a time of fiscal consolidation across many EU member states, it is only fair the EU budget plays its part. For this reason, we have been pressing for a freeze in the 2011 budget. And the Government expect the Commission's proposal for the next Financial Perspective to take account of fiscal consolidation efforts made across member states.
	At the negotiation of the EU budget for the period 2014-20, the Government will strongly defend the UK's national interests, and ensure the budget is focused on those areas where the EU adds value.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the proportion of  (a) wine and  (b) beer in the UK sold without the value added tax and excise duty having been paid in the latest period for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: The Department has an internal estimate for revenue losses due to fraud in beer. For 2006-07 estimated losses were between 7 and 11%. The methodology is still under development and therefore this estimate may be revised. Estimates for wine are not currently available.
	Estimates for spirits in 2007-08 were published by HMRC in "Measuring Tax Gaps-2009" in November 2009 which is available in the House of Commons Library and at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/measuring-tax-gaps.htm
	Estimates for spirits and beer in 2008-09 will be published before the end of the year.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of all types of alcohol fraud to the Exchequer in the latest period for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: Estimates of the cost of alcohol fraud across all alcoholic beverages are not available.
	Estimates of the cost of spirits fraud in 2007-08 were published by HMRC in "Measuring Tax Gaps-2009" in November 2009, which is available in the House of Commons Library and at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/measuring-tax-gaps.htm
	Estimates for spirits and beer in 2008-09 will be published before the end of the year.

Financial Institutions: Maladministration

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanism is in place to investigate alleged maladministration by a financial institution against companies with an annual turnover of £1 million or over.

Mark Hoban: Various organisations and Government Departments including the Financial Services Authority, the Serious Fraud Office, the City of London Police, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office all have functions in connection with ensuring confidence in the UK's business and financial institutions and combating financial malpractice and crime. These bodies have wide ranging investigatory and enforcement powers to combat fraud and corruption. Although these bodies each have their own remit, they work closely together to achieve the Government's aim of ensuring confidence in the UK market.

Office for Budget Responsibility

Graham Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role he plans to offer to the Treasury Select Committee in the appointment of the new Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Justine Greening: The Chancellor intends to provide in legislation for the Treasure Select Committee (TSC) to have the power of veto over the appointment of the Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility. Before the legislation is passed, the Chancellor proposes that the TSC conduct a pre-appointment hearing of the proposed candidate and has committed to not appointing a candidate judged unsuitable by the TSC.

Office for Budget Responsibility: Public Appointments

David Blunkett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date Sir Alan Budd informed him of his intention to step down as Head of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Justine Greening: The Chancellor's letter to Sir Alan Budd, which was published on 8 June, was clear that Sir Alan Budd had been appointed Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility for an interim period.
	Clause 6.1 of Sir Alan Budd's 13 May letter of appointment, which is available on the Treasury's website, states:
	'You will begin the service on 13/05/2010 and will continue for a period of 3 months...'

Public Sector: Construction

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills a working group to implement the recommendations on construction procurement in the public sector made in the National Audit Office report on Modernising Construction, HC (2000-01) 87.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply.
	The National Audit Office report on Modernising Construction was published in January 2001. In its subsequent 2005 report 'Improving Public Services through Better Construction' the NAO concluded that there had been
	"a considerable improvement in completing projects to time and cost and that real savings were being delivered, in particular, by departments and agencies which had adopted partnering and collaborative approaches to their construction work."
	The Efficiency and Reform Group and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will continue to work closely with Government clients and their suppliers to identify and drive out waste and inefficiency in construction procurement.

Revenue and Customs: Closures

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the previous administration's programme for the closure of HM Revenue and Customs offices.

Justine Greening: The decisions to close 258 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices were made after extensive consultation and detailed feasibility work under the previous Government. There are no plans to revisit these decisions.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost to the customer of a telephone call to an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) number with a 0845 prefix was in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of HMRC 0845 numbers have an alternative geographic number.

David Gauke: The information around the average cost to the customer of a telephone call to its 0845 helplines is not available.
	The cost of calls depends on:
	the customer's tariff arrangements with their service provider;
	the device they use for the call;
	the location they call from; and
	the length of the call.
	At present, HMRC do not offer an alternative geographic number for customers telephoning their contact centres from within the UK.
	HMRC is in the process of carrying out an in depth review of its telephone numbering strategy, looking at ways to reduce the costs to customers whilst balancing the costs to HMRC and the performance of its contact centre network.

Tax Evasion

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the revenue lost to the Exchequer from tax evasion in each year since 2005; and what steps he is taking to reduce levels of tax evasion.

Justine Greening: HMRC estimate that the overall tax gap was £40 billion in 2007-08. In December 2009 HMRC published "Protecting Tax Revenues 2009":
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2009/protect-tax-revenue-5450.pdf
	which allocated this tax gap, using management assumptions, to different types of non-compliance. Evasion is shown to account for 17.5% of the tax gap. The hidden economy, a form of evasion where the source of income is unknown to HMRC, accounts for a further 7.5%. This document also sets out HMRC's compliance strategy and the approach to reducing the tax gap.
	Estimates of the tax gap due to evasion for years prior to 2007-08 are not available.

Tax Evasion

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide additional funding to HM Revenue and Customs to be used to reduce the level of tax evasion.

Justine Greening: The Government takes tax evasion seriously. The Government's spending plans, including those for HM Revenue and Customs, will be set out in the spending review.

Unpaid Taxes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much unpaid tax HM Revenue and Customs is owed.

David Gauke: Table 6 of HMRC's Trust Statement sets out the level of receivables owed to the Department, and is available on page 124 of:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accs-0910.pdf
	Receivables represent amounts due from taxpayers or traders in respect of established liabilities for which, at the end of the reporting period, payments had not been received.
	Receivables fell from £27.7 billion at 31 March 2009 to £26.1 billion at 31 March 2010-a fall of 5.8%.

VAT

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect of the planned increase in the rate of value added tax from 1 January 2011 on consumer price index annual inflation in financial years  (a) 2011-12 and  (b) 2012-13.

Justine Greening: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Sir Alan Budd, dated 20 July 2010:
	As Chair of the Budget Responsibility Committee of the Office for Budget Responsibility I have been asked to reply to your recent question:
	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect of the planned increase in the rate of value added tax from 1 January 2011 on consumer price index annual inflation in financial years (a) 2011 -12 and (b) 2012-13.
	We have produced a Budget forecast, which incorporates the impact of policy measures announced at or before the Budget. The increase in the standard rate of VAT from 17.5.per cent to 20 per cent with effect from 4 January 2011 is one of the key policy measures affecting the economic and fiscal forecasts.
	Drawing on evidence of domestic and international changes in VAT rates, we judge that around two thirds of the VAT increase will be passed on relatively quickly to prices, with further adjustment in the following year.
	Chart C3 in the OBR Chapter of the Budget document published on 22 June shows the Budget forecast and the pre-Budget forecast for CPI.
	The impact on the annual rate of CPI inflation is to add 0.7 percentage points to the annual rate in 2011/12 and 0.1 percentage points to the annual rate in 2012/13.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in  (a) Newcastle Central constituency,  (b) the North East region and  (c) England started (i) an apprenticeship, (ii) an advanced apprenticeship and (iii) a higher apprenticeship in each of the last five years.

John Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of Apprenticeship starts by level for  (a) Newcastle Central Constituency,  (b) the North East Region and  (c) England from 2005/06, the earliest year for which we have apprenticeship starts based on the new parliamentary constituency boundaries which came in to effect in May 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Apprenticeship Programme Starts by Level and Geography, 2005/06 to 2008/09 
			   2005/06  2006/07  2007/08  2008/09 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne constituency 
			 Apprenticeships (level 2) 240 250 250 270 
			 Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3) 90 100 140 200 
			 Total 330 350 390 470 
			  North East Region 
			 Apprenticeships (level 2) 9,400 8,500 10,900 10,500 
			 Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3) 4,100 4,100 5,700 6,700 
			 Total 13,500 12,600 16,700 17,200 
			  England 
			 Apprenticeships (level 2) 122,800 127,400 151,800 158,500 
			 Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3) 52,100 56,900 72,900 81,300 
			 Higher Level Apprenticeships (1)- 100 100 200 
			 Total 175,000 184,400 224,800 239,900 
			 (1) Indicates a base figure of less than fifty.  Notes: 1. Figures by parliamentary constituency are rounded to the nearest 10. All other figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. For Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency and the north east region, any figures for Higher Level Apprenticeships are included within the Advanced Apprenticeships category, due to the low volumes. 3. Figures are based upon the home postcode of the learner and on constituency boundaries which came in to effect in ay 2010. Historic information on apprenticeship starts and achievements under the previous parliamentary constituency boundaries can be found at:  http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_archive/ 4. The figure for England contains a small number of apprenticeship starts where the postcode of the learner is outside England or where the postcode is not known.  Source:  Individualised Learner Record

Broadband: Finance

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the Digital Switchover Fund underspend has been allocated to delivering the universal service commitment of 2 Mbps.

Edward Vaizey: A total of £200 million is currently allocated to support both the Universal Service Commitment and the three broadband pilots. That sum is however subject, as all Government expenditure is, to the outcome of the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.

Broadband: Finance

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding has been allocated for the superfast broadband pilots; and from what budget that funding has been allocated.

Edward Vaizey: No specific budget has been allocated to an individual pilot to date. Broadband Delivery UK is considering the options for scale and location of the pilots to facilitate and maximise learning. The pilots will be funded from the Digital Switchover help scheme underspend.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria will be used to select the three areas to market test pilots for superfast broadband roll-out in rural areas; which areas have been short-listed; and who will select the pilot areas.

Edward Vaizey: The superfast broadband pilots aim to maximise understanding of the investment requirement for deploying superfast broadband in commercially challenging locations and how that investment requirement can be reduced and to understand the technical and commercial capability available for deploying superfast broadband in commercially challenging locations of the UK.
	Broadband Delivery UK, the BIS team responsible for delivering the coalition Government's broadband objectives, is working with regional and national authorities to identify potential locations for the superfast broadband pilots and aims to make an announcement in September 2010. There is no shortlist as yet. Ministers will take the final decision.

Departmental Buildings

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: This Department and its predecessors spent the following amounts on office refurbishments in each year since 1997:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 1997-98 2 
			 1998-99 2 
			 1999-2000 2.15 
			 2000-01 1.4 
			 2001-02 4.32 
			 2002-03 1.23 
			 2003-04 2.3 
			 2004-05 9.93 
			 2005-06 11.79 
			 2006-07 1.55 
			 2007-08 10.02 
			 2008-09 1.02 
			 2009-10 7.8 
		
	
	Information for non departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	  Letter from Gareth Jones:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7349 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for refurbishments for each for which figures are available are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2004-05 1,595,000 
			 2005-06 557,000 
			 2006-07 93,000 
			 2007-08 620,000 
			 2008-09 644,000 
			 2009-10 595,000 
		
	
	  Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 12 July 2010:
	The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has asked me to reply directly to you concerning your question asking how much this agency spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.
	Accounting records containing this data are only available from 2003/04, and we are unable to provide figures before that time. The expenditure requested for the 7 full financial years since 2003/04 is shown in the table below:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 673,528 
			 2004-05 521,184 
			 2005-06 897,270 
			 2006-07 522,382 
			 2007-08 1,148,451 
			 2008-09 3,903,800 
			 2009-10 1,457,920 
			 Total 8,937,032 
		
	
	  Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on refurbishment and new furniture,
	
		
			   £000 
			 2009-10 871 
			 2008-09 220 
			 2007-08 201 
			 2006-07 240 
			 2005-06 53 
			 2004-05 51 
			 2003-04 127 
			 2002-03 32 
			 2001-02 254 
			 2000-01 199 
			 1999-2000 257 
		
	
	These figures do not include general maintenance or dilapidation charges by landlords on termination of leases. Figures for earlier years are not available in the timescales.
	  Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7349), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on office refurbishment in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have not spent any money on office refurbishment.
	  Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.
	Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on office refurbishment:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 187.00 
			 2002 1,020.00 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 0 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 2,582.89 
			 2007 6,618.22 
			 2008 11,571.86 
			 2009 42,706.90

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: This Department spent £41,065 in 2008 covering the purchase and installation of televisions for an internal communications project. Information on costs relating to the ad hoc purchase of other televisions during this period and previous years cannot be identified as these will have been included in the overall project costs for which TV installation may have been a part.
	Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 9 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7499 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. In the last five years for which figures are available Companies House spent £2,928.52 on television sets; this expenditure took place in 2008.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7499), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on televisions in the Department and its agencies.
	This information is not recorded separately and to determine this spend would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 14 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on televisions in each year since 1997.
	The National Measurement Office has not bought any televisions since its establishment in April 2009. Its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, bought one television in about 2004 at a cost of no more than £250. It is not possible to provide more detailed information on the date and amount without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The National Measurement Office (and its predecessor) also has responsibility for the direct enforcement of Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation legislation with producers of electronic and electrical equipment. These activities sometimes involve the purchase of televisions for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of hazardous materials. The testing is destructive below the component level. Our finance records make no distinction between the different types of electronic or electrical equipment purchased for test purposes. Since 2006, when the agency was first appointed as an enforcement agency, it is estimated that approximately 5 televisions have been purchased, tested and disposed of. It is not possible to provide more detailed information on the dates and the amounts without incurring disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 9 July 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has no information on this expenditure for the years 1997 to 2004.
	The costs of televisions purchased by The Insolvency Service from 2005 through to 30 June 2010 are:
	
		
			   £  Number of TVs 
			 2005/06 5,550 7 
			 2006/07 6,834 10 
			 2007/08 12,107 10 
			 2008/09 2,660 3 
			 2009/10 567 1 
			 1 April 2010 to 30 June 2010 604 1 
		
	
	These televisions were primarily purchased to be connected to our IT systems for use in The Service's regional and local training rooms. With one or two exceptions, they are not used for watching broadcast television.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 20 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office has two functional televisions in two separate locations. These cost £500 in 2007/08 and £2,375 in 2006/07. There is no earlier data available.

Departmental Equality

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been spent by his Department  (a) in total and  (b) on staffing costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Edward Davey: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) on 20 July,  Official Report, column 294W.

Departmental Legal Costs

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) accesses legal advice from its own departmental lawyers as well as from external counsel and solicitors, Treasury solicitors and parliamentary counsel. Details of expenditure on internal and external legal advice for the Department and its predecessors since 2003/04 are set out as follows:
	
		
			  Million 
			  Departmental expenditure  2003/ 04  2004/ 05  2005/ 06  2006/ 07  2007/ 08  2008/ 09  2009 / 10 
			 External Legal Services 15.1 17.5 17.3 14.6 12.4 15.3 7.3 
			 Internal Legal Advisory Services 9.9 8.5 8.1 7.4 7 5.2 5.3 
		
	
	Information before 2003/04 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The information requested for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 8 July 2010:
	The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to provide the information requested for each year since 1997 because accounting records are only available from 2003/2004 onwards.
	The Insolvency Service obtains legal advice from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and external solicitors on contract and other issues. The Service is also responsible for taking enforcement action and in doing so it obtains external legal advice and outsources some investigation work to legal firms.
	The Service spent the following amounts on legal advice for the years 2003/04 onwards. All figures are in £000s.
	
		
			  £000 
			   BIS  Other  Enforcement 
			 2003/04 445 78 8,219 
			 2004/05 449 31 7,309 
			 2005/06 552 37 6,660 
			 2006/07 951 335 (1)6,092 
			 2007/08 1,278 108 6,120 
			 2008/09 921 292 7,442 
			 2009/10 901 82 7,644 
			 (1) Companies Investigation Branch merged with The Insolvency Service in 2006/07 and the expenditure from that year onwards includes that for both The Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. 
		
	
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on legal advice in each year since 1997.
	The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, obtain legal advice services both from external organisations and from other parts of Government. Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The Agency spent the following on legal advice services from external organisations:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 to 2007 Nil 
			 2008 31,248.14 
			 2009 42,298.76 
		
	
	The National Measurement Office paid for legal advice services from within Government through invoices presented by successively DTI, BERR, Treasury Solicitors and BIS. The Agency spent the following on such legal advice services:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 82,515.80 
			 2002 76,785.30 
			 2003 80,462.43 
			 2004 44,935.00 
			 2005 112,480.82 
			 2006 109,259.28 
			 2007 54,518.53 
			 2008 133,202.06 
			 2009 103,614.78 
		
	
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7562), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on legal advice in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Legal advice is supplied to us by the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) legal team and their internal recharge figure for this service from 1 April to 30 June 2010 is £20,000. In addition, the YPLA legal team's external costs are £45,000 across both the YPLA and the Skills Funding Agency; a breakdown of this figure between the two agencies is not available.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7562 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for costs legal advice for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2009 81,064 
			 2008 15,784 
			 2007 159 
			 2006 2,170 
			 2005 170,416 
		
	
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 16 July 2010
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following sums on legal advice:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2009-10 824 
			 2008-09 925 
			 2007708 581 
			 2006-07 614 
			 2005-06 563 
			 2004-05 615 
			 2003-04 700 
			 2002-03 562 
			 2001-02 418 
			 2000-01 244 
			 1999-2000 313 
		
	
	This mainly covers advice on Intellectual Property matters from departmental solicitors.
	Earlier years are not available in the timescale.

Departmental Marketing

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his  (a) Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: Information about work to create logos in support of the range of the Department's work is not held centrally and could be gathered only at disproportionate costs.
	However, the following information relates to activity in recent years that can be specifically attributed to the design of corporate logos when a change of departmental name took place.
	 1. The proposed change of name from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry (DPEI)
	2005/06: £4,000
	 2. The creation of the logo for the newly formed Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
	2007/08: £17,700
	 3. The creation of the logo for the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
	2009/10: £8,282
	£9,755 was spent on logo design when UKTI was launched in 2003. There have been no subsequent expenditure on logo design. Due to change in accounting systems, details of costs prior to 2003 are not available on a comparable basis and can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	Information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7475 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. However, Companies House spent £10,000 on logo design in 2001.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 13 July 2010:
	The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service has had the same logo design since its inception in 1990 and has therefore not spent anything on logo design since 1997.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7475), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on logo design in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have not spent any money on logo design but we have spent £3,600 on associated costs for logo guidelines and templates.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent £9,650 (plus VAT) on logo design in 2008/09.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 16 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on how much was spent on logo design in each year since 1997.
	The Agency's predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory spent the following on design matters relating to its logo:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 250.00 
			 2002 Nil 
			 2003 Nil 
			 2004 395.00 
			 2005 300.00 
			 2006 Nil 
			 2007 Nil 
			 2008 95.00 
			 2009 Nil 
		
	
	As a result of the creation of the National Measurement Office, in April 2009 the Agency spent £310.00 on the design of its new logo, and £2,300 on the design aspects of the new collective brand for the National Measurement System.
	Information on such expenditure prior to 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Official Cars

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office.

Edward Davey: Between 12 May and 12 July this Department has spent £98,065.59 with the Government Car and Despatch Agency. This amount relates to the provision of cars for both Ministers and officials.
	The provision of cars for Minsters is based on arrangements inherited from the previous Administration, which are now being terminated.

Departmental Operating Costs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to reduce the cost of running his Department since his appointment.

Edward Davey: BIS will make running costs savings of £38 million or 11% in 2010-11.
	This will be achieved through a variety of measures. This includes reductions in spend on: ICT and accommodation; marketing and advertising activities; use of consultants; and travel expenses.
	BIS will also be taking steps to reduce its paybill through a voluntary retirement and redundancy scheme, severe restrictions on any recruitment into BIS, and the wider cross-Whitehall pay freeze.

Departmental Security

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: For the financial years listed in the table, this Department and its predecessors spent the following on security guarding of buildings on its core Estate:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2003/04 2.6 
			 2004/05 3.2 
			 2005/06 2.7 
			 2006/07 2.8 
			 2007/08 3 
			 2008/09 3.2 
			 2009/10 3.3 
		
	
	Information prior to 2003/04 is not available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
	Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the Chief Executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7367 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for security for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial Year  
			 2009 489,550 
			 2008 542,330 
			 2007 483,418 
			 2006 482,443 
			 2005 453,678 
		
	
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7367), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on security in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £82,000 on security.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on security in each year since 1997.
	The National Measurement Office, like its predecessor, the National Weights and Laboratory, is based on a site in Teddington on which are located several organisations. A facility management organisation provides security services for the benefit of the whole site. The cost of this service is absorbed in a monthly invoice and a separate figure for the security element could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 9 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on security, mainly guards and CCTV in the years below:
	
		
			  £000 
			 2009/10 369 
			 2008/09 258 
			 2007/08 233 
			 2006/07 252 
			 2005/06 271 
			 2004/05 236 
			 2003/04 233 
			 2002/03 227 
			 2001/02 230 
			 2000/01 213 
			 1999/00 199 
		
	
	These figures for earlier years are not available in the timescales.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 12 July 2010:
	The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has asked me to reply to your question how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997.
	The amounts spent on security by The Insolvency Service for each of the years for which financial information is available, are as follows:
	
		
			  Year  Amount (£000) 
			 2004/05 342 
			 2005/06 348 
			 2006/07 385 
			 2007/08 416 
			 2008/09 311 
			 2009/10 363

Departmental Stationery

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: The Department has spent the following sums on stationery since the financial year 2003-04, which is the earliest year for which figures are available:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 983,150 
			 2004-05 857,020 
			 2005-06 790,230 
			 2006-07 521,247 
			 2007-08 345,557 
			 2008-09 411,643 
			 2009-10 491,697 
		
	
	Information for non departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7456 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for stationery for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial  y ear  £ 
			 2009 609,026 
			 2008 582,236 
			 2007 683,004 
			 2006 781,181 
			 2005 927,945 
		
	
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 July 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills introduced a new accounting system in 2003/04 and expenditure specifically on office supplies is only identifiable from that year onwards.
	The Service incurred the following expenditure on office supplies, which includes general office supplies and consumables:
	
		
			   Amount £000 
			 2003-04 549 
			 2004-05 644 
			 2005-06 811 
			 2006-07 (1)1,199 
			 2007-08 1,023 
			 2008-09 1,350 
			 2009-10 1,081 
			 (1) Companies Investigation Branch was merged with The Insolvency Service from 2006-07. Figures from 2006-07 onwards therefore include both the Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. 
		
	
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on stationery and office supplies in the years below:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2009-10 254 
			 2008-09 305 
			 2007-08 261 
			 2006-07 189 
			 2005-06 231 
			 2004-05 293 
			 2003-04 317 
			 2002-03 408 
			 2001-02 490 
			 2000-01 515 
			 1999-2000 568 
		
	
	Earlier information is not available in the timescales.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7456), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on stationery in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £27,000 on stationery.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on stationery in each year since 1997.
	Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on stationery:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 9,250.40 
			 2002 11,456.90 
			 2003 9,967.29 
			 2004 12,095.86 
			 2005 7,835.88 
			 2006 8,193.44 
			 2007 8,979.45 
			 2008 11,875.04 
			 2009 16,360.82

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: The BIS accounting system does not disaggregate figures between away days and the costs other types of planning or training activities. Therefore, the amount spent on employee away days could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7311 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House has spent the following on employee awaydays in each year for which figures are available:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2009 2,280 
			 2008 3,135 
			 2007 4,545 
			 2006 4,295 
			 2005 3,679 
		
	
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7311), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on employee awaydays in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £10,457 on business focussed away days for our employees.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on how much was spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997.
	Information on such expenditure prior to January 2008 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on employee awaydays:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2008 8,557.29 
			 2009 7,250.99 
		
	
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 9 July 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to provide this information for each of the years since 1997.
	The costs of team building events are available for the following years:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2007-08 3 
			 2008-09 19 
			 2009-10 30 
		
	
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 21 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on away days:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2009/10 24 
			 2008/09 122 
			 2007/08 40 
			 2006/07 10 
			 2005/06 1

Departmental Travel

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his  (a) Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: For the Department, information for the financial years 2002/03 and earlier can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. However, the information for financial years 2003/04 onwards is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003/04 2,103,013 
			 2004/05 4,883,836 
			 2005/06 5,874,267 
			 2006/07 4,711,133 
			 2007/08 4,260,734 
			 2008/09 5,548,111 
			 2009/10 7,026,098 
			 April 2010 to June 2010 1,152,856 
		
	
	The information provided relates to BIS air, rail and car expenditure.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	Information on the Department's NDPBs is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7418 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. In each year for which figures are available Companies House spent the following on travel for its employees:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2009 280,148 
			 2008 290,893 
		
	
	Prior to 2008, the figures included costs for all aspects of each trip, including accommodation for example. Therefore, I do not have a separate figure for travel alone for the years before 2008.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 21 July 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spent the following amounts on travel for its employees in each year since 1997, as reported in The Insolvency Service Report and Accounts for the relevant financial year:
	
		
			   Amount (£000) 
			 1997/98 393 
			 1998/99 326 
			 1999/2000 655 
			 2000/01 555 
			 2001/02 730 
			 2002/03 786 
			 2003/04 1,500 
			 2004/05 1,372 
			 2005/06 (1)1,787 
			 2006/07 2,388 
			 2007/08 3,426 
			 2008/09 3,821 
			 2009/10 (2)3,002 
			 (1) The figures for 2005/06 were restated to include the merged costs of Companies Investigation Branch. Figures from 2005/06 onwards include both The Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. (2) Draft unaudited. 
		
	
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on travel by employees in each year since 1997.
	Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	Since 2001, the National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on travel for its employees:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001 74,090.05 
			 2002 65,417.50 
			 2003 60,635.54 
			 2004 60,759.66 
			 2005 51,981.80 
			 2006 70,179.97 
			 2007 69,394.24 
			 2008 101,508.46 
			 2009 104,514.41 
		
	
	The costs include both the cost of travel itself and the cost of subsistence (e.g. hotels and meals) associated with that travel.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7418), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on employee travel in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £612,000 on employee travel.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on travel, including fares, hotels and other expenses in the years below:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2009/10 753 
			 2008/09 1,098 
			 2007/08 766 
			 2006/07 702 
			 2005/06 669 
			 2004/05 565 
			 2003/04 586 
			 2002/03 624 
			 2001/02 650 
			 2000/01 663 
			 1999/2000 548 
		
	
	These figures do not include costs which are reimbursed by other organisations and earlier years are not available in the timescales.

Employment Agencies: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing the Agency Worker Regulations 2010; and whether he has made an assessment of the likely effects of those regulations on levels of  (a) salary,  (b) bonuses and  (c) holiday pay.

Edward Davey: An impact assessment was published under the previous Government at the time of laying the Agency Workers Regulations in January 2010.
	The estimated total cost to public sector hirers of increased wages under the 12-week qualifying period was assessed as between £157 and £259 million per year.
	The gross cost of wages across the economy as a whole under the 12-week qualifying period was estimated to be between £1,196 and £1,327 million per year. This reflects any overtime/night work premiums, bonuses and any other payments included in salaries. The gross cost of equal treatment with regards to paid holiday was estimated to amount to £82 million per year.

Employment Agencies: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the likely effects of the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 on those undertaking assignments of less than 12 weeks.

Edward Davey: The Agency Workers Regulations were laid on the basis of the CBI-TUC agreement of May 2008, providing agency workers with a right to equal treatment after a 12-week qualifying period in a given job. However, other aspects of the directive are not subject to the qualifying period and give entitlements from day one of an assignment, including access to amenities or collective facilities such as canteens and access to information about job vacancies in the hirer. In addition, all agency workers already benefit from many of the same protections as permanent workers in the UK, including entitlement to be paid at least the national minimum wage, working time rights such as paid annual leave and a limit on the working week (unless they have signed an opt out) and protection under anti-discrimination law and health and safety rules.

Further Education: Finance

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many capital building projects in further education colleges have been funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in each of the last five years; and how much was allocated to each project.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocates capital funding to those Further Education (FE) colleges that it funds directly on a formula basis. The amount awarded is based on the number of students on higher education courses at each institution. It does not fund specific projects, rather it is for each college subject to audit to decide how to deploy the resources they are given. This is the same basis as for higher education institutions. The tables give the amount of resource awarded to each directly funded college in the last five years. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

General Motors: Government Assistance

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Government has  (a) given and  (b) loaned to General Motors in the last three years; what the purpose was of each such loan or grant; what the terms of repayment are of each loan; and whether any further (i) loans or (ii) grants are proposed.

Mark Prisk: A Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) project was agreed in 2005 for the installation of two press lines at the Vauxhall Motors Ellesmere Port site to manufacture car body panels. Of the total grant of £1.9 million, which has been paid in full, £0.4 million was paid in the last three years.
	A SFIE project for the installation of production facilities also at Ellesmere Port to manufacture the new Vauxhall Astra of £6.845 million was offered in 2006. No payments have been made.
	In addition, the North West Development Agency approved funding of £8.9 million for training for the Ellesmere Port site. Of the total grant awarded to the company of £8.7 million for this project (which started in April 2008), £2.78 million has been paid in the last three years. The project is a training programme to develop the work force capability thereby improving the plant's competitiveness and its long-term future.
	The East of England Development Agency provided a £416,000 grant to IBC Vehicles (GM's van subsidiary) in Luton to enable a sequence of sustainable energy projects in March 2010. 90% of the funding has been provided, with the remainder being withheld until project completion.
	While we had been willing to offer £270 million loan guarantee support to General Motors Europe (as originally announced on 12 March 2010), we are pleased that GM has indicated it is in a position to fund the restructuring of GM Europe, including Vauxhall, from its internal resources.

Graduates: Employment Schemes

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future funding of the Graduate Talent Pool.

David Willetts: The Government are continuing to support the Graduate Talent Pool, and it is open to 2010 graduates as well as 2008 and 2009 graduates.

Graduates: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of people who graduated in 2009 from  (a) universities and  (b) colleges in Leeds have not entered full-time employment or continued with their education.

David Willetts: holding answer 19 July 2010
	Of the 2008/09 academic year cohort of graduates, 28.8% of first degree graduates from universities in Leeds (Leeds Trinity University College, Leeds Metropolitan University, and the University of Leeds) were not in full-time employment or further study six months after graduating.
	24.5% of first degree graduates from Leeds College of Music (this is classed as an institution of higher education) were not in full-time employment or further study six months after graduating.
	Information on the destinations of leavers from further education colleges will not be published until later in the year.
	A more detailed breakdown of these graduates' destinations is in the following table:
	
		
			  Destinations of first degree graduates from higher education institutions in Leeds six months after graduating 2008/09 
			  Percentage 
			   Leeds Trinity University College  Leeds Metropolitan University  University of Leeds  Universities in Leeds  Leeds College of Music  All UK HEIs 
			 Full-time employment or further study 68.9 68.6 73.6 71.2 75.5 72.2 
			 Part-time paid work only 17.9 11.9 8.6 10.5 13.3 11.5 
			 Voluntary/unpaid work only 1.4 0.9 2.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 
			 Not available for employment 5.2 5.2 6.3 5.8 3.1 3.9 
			 Assumed to be unemployed 6.4 11.7 8.4 9.7 6.1 9.2 
			 Other 0.2 1.7 0.7 1.1 0.0 1.3 
			 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 
			  Notes: 1. These figures do not include graduates who either did not respond to the survey or specifically refused to answer. 2. 'Full-time employment or further study' includes those in full-time employment only, study only or a combination of work and study. 3. 'Not available for employment' includes those permanently unable to work or retired, taking time out to travel, or temporarily sick or looking after family and not in study. 4. 'Assumed to be unemployed' includes to anyone due to start a job within the next month and not in full-time study, or anyone who is unemployed and looking for employment but not in full-time study. 5. 'Other' includes to graduates who are not employed but not looking for employment, further study or training, or something else but not in further study.  Source: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey (DLHE), collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Local Better Regulation Office

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding the Local Better Regulation Office has received from his Department in each year since 2007;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed by the Local Better Regulation Office in each year since 2007;
	(3)  what the salary of the  (a) Chief Executive,  (b) Director of Policy and Engagement,  (c) Director of Resources,  (d) Director of Delivery and  (e) Director of Corporate Strategy at the Local Better Regulation Office was in each year since 2007.

Mark Prisk: The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) spent £1.8 million in the period September 2007 to 31 March 2008; £4.4 million in 2008/09; £4.4 million in 2009/10 and has an allocation of £3.7 million for the current financial year.
	In 2007/08 LBRO had a total of 22.5 full-time equivalent employees. In 2008/09, they had 27.5 and in 2009/10 they had 26 full-time equivalent employees.
	The salary levels for all these roles over the last three years can be found in LBRO's annual reports which are available from the Libraries of the House.

Local Better Regulation Office

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment has been made by his Department of the value for money offered by the Local Better Regulation Office; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment has been made by his Department of the effectiveness of the Local Better Regulation Office in reducing the regulatory burden on business; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Government Departments are currently reviewing partner organisations to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of these bodies and the functions that they currently perform, including LBRO.

News Corporation: BSkyB

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to apply a public interest test in determining whether to request a report from Ofcom on the matter of Newscorp's bid for BSkyB; and what other factors he plans to take into account in making his decision.

Edward Davey: We do not as yet have enough information about this potential transaction to enable the Secretary of State to decide whether intervention is appropriate. The Guidance on the circumstances in which the Secretary of State may use his discretion to intervene in media mergers is available on the BIS website at
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file14331.pdf

Nuclear Fusion: Research

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2010,  Official Report, column 315W, on nuclear fusion: research, what the annual contribution to Euratom was in the period 2000 to 2009 inclusive; and what Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council spending on renewable energy research was in each year from 2000 to 2009.

David Willetts: The UK does not provide direct funding to Euratom, but contributes indirectly to Euratom through its payments to the overall EU budget.
	The spending by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on renewable energy research between 1999-2000 and 2009-10 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  EPSRC spend on renewable energy research 
			  Financial year  £ 
			 1999-2000 5,899,576 
			 2000-01 6,645,384 
			 2001-02 8,790,881 
			 2002-03 9,135,392 
			 2003-04 10,285,284 
			 2004-05 10,534,395 
			 2005-06 12,200,573 
			 2006-07 15,985,770 
			 2007-08 22,859,006 
			 2008-09 32,304,916 
			 2009-10 46,334,266

Post Offices: Bank Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial services offered by the Post Office are provided by the Bank of Ireland.

Edward Davey: I have asked David Smith, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, column 132W, on Sheffield Forgemasters: finance, for what reasons a commercial solution to the Forgemasters investment was found to be inappropriate prior to 7 May 2010.

Mark Prisk: It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. However, as I have previously made clear, the decision not to pursue the loan was taken on the grounds of affordability. It was no reflection on the project which we recognise as being worthwhile.

Summertime

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of the cost and benefits of the application of British Summer Time.

Edward Davey: The Government have made no recent assessment of the current summer time arrangements but we continue to listen to representations we receive and consider any evidence presented to us.

Unemployment: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged between 18 and 24 and resident in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Bexley were not in employment, education or training in each quarter since May 2005; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: The following table provides estimates of the number and proportion of people aged(1) 16 to 24 not in education employment or training (NEET) in the London borough of Bexley in each year from 2005-09. This information is from the Annual Population Survey, which covers the period January to December of each year, with 2009 being the most recent estimate available. The Annual Population Survey is the only available source of data with a sample large enough to provide local authority estimates of the number of young people up to the age of 24 who are NEET. However, the sample is not large enough to provide estimates for smaller geographies, such as parliamentary constituencies, or to provide local authority estimates for age ranges narrower than 16 to 24.
	
		
			  People aged 16-24 years old not in employment education or training (NEET) in London borough of Bexley 
			   NEET  
			   Number  Percentage  95% confidence interval (PP) 
			 2005 2,000 7 +/-5 
			 2006 4,000 17 +/-8 
			 2007 3,000 12 +/-7 
			 2008 3,000 14 +/-8 
			 2009 3,000 10 +/-6 
			  Base: 16 to 24-year-olds, London borough of Bexley  Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	It is important to note that these estimates are subject to large sampling variability and should therefore be treated with caution and viewed in conjunction with their Confidence Intervals, which indicate how accurate an estimate is. For example, a Confidence Interval of +/-5 percentage points (pp) means that the true value is between 5pp above the estimate and 5pp below the estimate.
	Quarterly estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) derived from the Labour Force Survey are published by the Department for Education. The latest publication can be found online at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000924/index.shtml
	This includes supplementary tables giving breakdowns of 18 to 24-year-olds NEET for each region.
	(1) Age used is respondents academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August.

Union Modernisation Fund

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will ensure that no successor scheme to the Union Modernisation Fund is established;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse was of the Union Modernisation Supervisory Board in each year since its inception; how much members of that board claimed in expenses in each such year; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  on what dates the Union Modernisation Supervisory Board has met; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) agenda and  (b) minutes of each meeting;
	(4)  what the total cost to the public purse was of the Union Modernisation Fund since its establishment.

Edward Davey: I shall answer these questions in order.
	I confirm that we have no plans for a successor scheme to the Union Modernisation Fund.
	The cost to the public purse of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board consisted of expenses claimed by all members, totalling:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 8,828 
			 2006-07 4,272 
			 2007-08 9,642 
			 2008-09 4,078 
			 2009-10 7,098 
		
	
	In addition to this, the Department for Innovation, Business and Skills (BIS) incurred minor staffing costs to support meetings of the Board.
	The Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board met on the following dates:
	23-24 November 2005
	2-3 July 2007
	21 July 2009.
	The agendas were to assess the applications for UMF Rounds One, Two and Three respectively. No minutes were taken at these meetings.
	The total cost to date of the Union Modernisation Fund is £5,737,624. We intend shortly to publish on BIS's website the amounts awarded to each trade union.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on his plans to reform the Access to Work programme; and what his timetable is for such reform.

Maria Miller: Access to Work provides financial help towards the extra costs faced by people with a disability in work, where this goes beyond what would be reasonable for an employer to meet. Access to Work supported 32,120 disabled people during 2008-09. Official Statistics for 2009-10 will be published on 27 July.
	Reform of Access to Work is part of the coalition agreement to enable disabled people to apply for jobs with funding already secured for any adaptations and equipment needed. We are developing plans for delivering this commitment and further details will be announced in due course.

Employment Schemes

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Young Person's Guarantee in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (c) Dudley North constituency in placing young people into employment and work placements;
	(2)  what his most recent estimate is of the effect on levels of employment in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (b) Dudley North constituency of abolishing the Future Jobs Fund.

Chris Grayling: We have agreed to fund over 100,000 jobs. The Department is committed to implementing programmes that deliver value for money and deliver sustainable outcomes. At up to £6,500 per person the Future Jobs Fund is five times more expensive than some other elements of the Young Person's Guarantee. The Fund does not ensure sustainable employment for young people: it creates short term jobs, and the grants do not include any incentives to move people into permanent posts.
	Reducing the scope of the programme will save £290 million and this will help the Government tackle the unprecedented £156 billion deficit.
	The Government are committed to supporting young people. The 50,000 new apprenticeships announced in May and the forthcoming Work Programme will help move young people into sustainable employment.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many young people in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (c) Dudley North constituency have found (i) employment and (ii) a work placement as a result of the Young Person's Guarantee;
	(2)  what his most recent estimate is of the number of people in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (b) Dudley North constituency who have found work through the Future Jobs Fund;
	(3)  how many individuals resident in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (c) Dudley North constituency have received work placements under the Future Jobs Fund since the programme's inception.

Chris Grayling: The information requested on the Dudley North constituency and Dudley borough local authority area is not available. In the west midlands area the latest official statistics, covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 940 people were recorded as starting a temporary job funded by the future jobs fund at a cost of up to £6,500 per placement. The young person's guarantee will be replaced next summer by a new work programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the young person's guarantee, where young people are eligible if they are claiming jobseeker's allowance, the new work programme will provide help to the young people regardless of what benefit they are claiming and will support young people into sustainable employment.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who would have received the two year jobseeker's guarantee in  (a) England,  (b) the West Midlands,  (c) Dudley borough and  (d) Dudley North constituency this year had the scheme not been cancelled.

Chris Grayling: The two year jobseeker's guarantee was due to start from April 2011 and therefore was not due to help anyone this year.
	The Government aim to have the new work programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011. The work programme will be an integrated package of support providing flexible help for people who find themselves out of work based on individual need rather than benefit claimed.
	In order to ensure that as many people benefit from the work programme as quickly as possible the Government will be phasing out many of the existing programmes and folding them into the work programme.

Employment: Young People

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department plans to spend on programmes for the young unemployed in 2010-11.

Chris Grayling: The Department has budgeted to spend approximately £700 million in 2010-11 on support for young people. This will be delivered through mainstream employment programmes and other programmes targeted specifically at young people.

Future Jobs Fund: Greater London

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs created in London have been attributable to the Future Jobs Fund since its inception.

Chris Grayling: In London, the latest official statistics covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 840 people were recorded as starting a temporary job funded by the future jobs fund at a cost of up to £6,500 per placement. The young person's guarantee will be replaced next summer by a new work programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the young person's guarantee, where young people are eligible if they are claiming jobseeker's allowance, the new work programme will provide help to the young people regardless of what benefit they are claiming and will support young people into sustainable employment.

Housing Benefit

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in each  (a) parliamentary constituency and  (b) local authority area receive housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The available information has been placed in the Library.
	The information is not available at the constituency level.
	The available information on housing benefit recipients is published at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/hbctb_release_jun10.xls
	An exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the housing benefit data: this will include parliamentary constituencies. It is hoped this exercise will be completed by early 2011.

Housing Benefit

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposed 12-month limit on full housing benefit for claimants of jobseeker's allowance is to operate only over the period of the claim for that allowance.

Steve Webb: The proposed change will affect people receiving jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit and will apply where those benefits have been in payment for a period of one year. The precise detail of the change will be developed in the coming months prior to draft legislation being introduced.

Industrial Health and Safety

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many prosecutions there were of an employer for breach of health and safety legislation in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many convictions there were of employers for breach of health and safety legislation in each year since 1997.

Chris Grayling: HSE holds the information required for the period 1999-2000 to 2008-09 and the figures are shown in the following table.
	The table shows prosecutions and convictions heard in the relevant year and where a result has been secured, i.e. the prosecution has been completed.
	It is estimated that three quarters of these relate specifically to employers.
	
		
			   Enforcing authority 
			   HSE  LA  ORR 
			   Offences prosecuted  Convictions  Offences prosecuted  Convictions  Offences prosecuted  Convictions 
			 1999-2000 2115 1616 412 322 - - 
			 2000-01 1973 1490 401 352 - - 
			 2001-02 1986 1522 350 307 - - 
			 2002-03 1659 1273 330 285 - - 
			 2003-04 1720 1317 410 354 - - 
			 2004-05 1320 1025 332 281 - - 
			 2005-06 1056 840 257 247 - - 
			 2006-07 1041 846 340 314 10 6 
			 2007-08 1060 853 354 334 2 2 
			 2008-09p 1090 846 329 309 14 14

Industrial Health and Safety

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the terms of reference are for Lord Young's review of the operation of health and safety legislation;
	(2)  from what individuals and organisations Lord Young will invite contributions to his review of the operation of health and safety legislation.

Chris Grayling: The terms of reference for Lord Young's Health and Safety Review are
	"to investigate and report back to the Prime Minister on the rise of the compensation culture over the last decade coupled with the current low standing that health and safety legislation now enjoys and to suggest solutions. Following the agreement of the report, to work with appropriate departments across government to bring the proposals into effect."
	Lord Young has invited contributions from a large number of key stakeholders, professionals and individuals. A full list of those organisations who contributed their views will be published as part of the final report.

Industrial Injuries

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people with an occupational illness in each year since 1997.

Chris Grayling: The overall estimated prevalence of self-reported work-related illness (long standing ill health, as well as new cases), for people working in the last 12 months, in 2001-02 and 2003-04 to 2008-09 is given in the following table. This data is not available prior to 2001-02 or for 2002-03.
	These estimates are based on evidence from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS provides the most broadly based measure, including estimates of the large number of individuals with musculoskeletal disorders and stress. No single source of information provides a basis for estimating the total number of people with an occupational illness.
	
		
			   Estimated prevalence of self-reported workplace illness 
			 2001-02 1,391,000 
			 2002-03 - 
			 2003-04 1,340,000 
			 2004-05 1,228,000 
			 2005-06 1,147,000 
			 2006-07 1,384,000 
			 2007-08 1,261,000 
			 2008-09 1,182,000 
			  Note:  Data not available for 2002-03  Source:  Labour Force Survey

Invalidity Benefits: Durham

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment and support allowance in City of Durham constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Employment support allowance claimants, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance: November 2009: parliamentary constituency City of Durham 
			   Number 
			 ESA 650 
			 IB/SDA 3,570 
			 DLA 4,870 
			  Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data

Invalidity Benefits: Newport Gwent

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment and support allowance in Newport East constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Employment support allowance claimants, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance: November 2009 
			   Newport East parliamentary constituency 
			 ESA 720 
			 IB/SDA 3,560 
			 DLA 5,220 
			 Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

Jobcentre Plus: Edinburgh

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus staff are employed in Edinburgh on temporary contracts.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many Jobcentre Plus staff in Edinburgh are employed on temporary contracts. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Office for National Statistics defines temporary staff as those on a fixed-term appointment of less than 12 months. As at the end of March 2010, we had 4 full-time equivalents in Edinburgh falling into that category. However, Jobcentre Plus also uses fixed-term appointments for longer periods of employment, and at March 2010 we had a further 62 full time equivalents in Edinburgh on fixed-term appointments of more than 12 months duration.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus: Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of training  (a) employment advisers and  (b) customer service managers for Jobcentre Plus was in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what the cost of training  (a) employment advisers and  (b) customer service managers for Jobcentre Plus was in each of the last five years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We do not have job role specific data covering the last five years. This is because Departmental IT systems only started to collate this level of data three years ago.
	Therefore, I am only able to provide the following breakdown for each of the last three years against the job roles requested:
	
		
			  The cost of training Personal Advisers and Customer Service Managers for Jobcentre Plus in each of the last three years 
			  Year/ Job  r ole  2007/08  2008/09  2009/10 
			 Personal Adviser £2,444,430 £3,843,810 £12,570,970 
			 Customer Service Manager £151,980 £248,850 £308,655 
			  Notes: 1 The terminology within Jobcentre Plus for Employment Adviser is Personal Adviser. 2 The cost of learning is based on the total number of days learning for each of the job roles and includes both generic and technical learning. The increase in the cost of training provided for Personal Advisers in 2009/10 is due to the significant recruitment of new Personal Advisers by Jobcentre Plus during this period to support increased workloads arising from the economic downturn.  Source:  Jobcentre Plus 
		
	
	I hope this information is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Standards

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what service level agreement is in place in respect of the processing of payment of claims for reimbursement of interview-related travel costs by recipients of jobseeker's allowance; and what percentage of claims have been processed within the target time in each of the last three years.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what service level agreement is in place in respect of the processing of payment of claims for reimbursement of interview-related travel costs by recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance; and what percentage of claims have been processed within the target time in each of the last three years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	Helping eligible customers with job interview expenses is an important part of the services we offer to help people back into work as quickly as possible. Where a customer is eligible for job interview-related expenses (through the Travel to Interview Scheme), we aim to reimburse payment within four weeks of the job interview, but this does depend, in part, on customers providing the required supporting information-i.e. original receipts/tickets for the expenses incurred.
	In terms of our performance, we do not routinely gather information on the time taken to process payments as this would be disproportionately expensive. However, I am keen to make sure people understand how quickly we aim to make payment and how to raise issues or concerns; and have asked that post interview arrangements be incorporated into Travel to Interview scheme information given to customers.
	In terms of personal adviser interviews people are asked to attend at a Jobcentre Plus office, these are nearly always timed to coincide with their jobsearch review appointments to ensure that no additional travel costs are incurred. However, where this is not possible or where a customer is asked to attend an office other than their normal office of attendance, and they incur additional travel expenses we will reimburse these costs at the start of the interview to allay any worry or uncertainty on the customer's part.

Parental Leave

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on reform of legislation on maternity and paternity leave.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Secretary of State and other BIS Ministers are having a wide range of meetings with business and employee representatives to discuss a range of issues, including maternity and paternity leave.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Warrington North constituency receive  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) disability living allowance and  (c) employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  Employment support allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance claimants in Warrington North constituency: November 2009 
			  Parliamentary constituency  ESA  IB/SDA  DLA 
			 Warrington North 820 4,010 6,040 
			  Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what terms specialists undertaking medical examinations for  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) employment and support allowance (i) assessments and (ii) appeals are paid.

Chris Grayling: Healthcare professionals who undertake medical assessments on behalf of the DWP are paid by Atos Healthcare. DWP pays Atos Healthcare for the services received under the terms of the Medical Services Contract.

State Retirement Pensions: Durham

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in City of Durham constituency receive  (a) the basic state pension and  (b) pension credit.

Steve Webb: The information available is in the following table.
	
		
			  Parliamentary constituency: City of Durham 
			   Number 
			 State pension recipients 17,380 
			 Pension credit individual beneficiaries 5,160 
			 Pension credit household recipients 4,170 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. State pension figures are for the total state pension caseload. Around 1% of state pension recipients are not in receipt of the basic state pension, but are receiving additional state pension only or graduated retirement benefit only. 3. Basic state pension only figures are not available by current 2010 parliamentary constituencies. 4. Pension credit household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Individual beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 5. Parliamentary constituencies are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data as at November 2009

Unemployment Benefits

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid in jobseeker's allowance and predecessor benefits in  (a) England and Wales,  (b) England,  (c) the West Midlands,  (d) Dudley borough and  (e) Dudley North constituency in each year since 1980.

Chris Grayling: The available information is in the tables. Information is not available below Great Britain prior to 1997-98.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's  allowance annual  expenditure: Nominal  t erms 
			  £ million 
			   England and Wales  England  West Midlands  Dudley  Dudley North 
			 1997-98 3,509.6 3,311.2 370.6 18.4 6.4 
			 1998-99 3,196.3 3,011.5 348.5 19.7 6.9 
			 1999-2000 2,916.9 2,749.5 340.0 20.8 7.4 
			 2000-01 2,574.9 2,421.0 316.7 20.1 7.4 
			 2001-02 2,321.6 2,186.3 285.9 18.3 6.5 
			 2002-03 2,341.4 2,210.4 282.4 17.6 6.5 
			 2003-04 2,283.3 2,160.7 284.4 16.9 6.3 
			 2004-05 1,962.2 1,857.1 244.6 14.6 5.5 
			 2005-06 2,082.0 1,970.7 274.9 17.0 6.2 
			 2006-07 2,211.5 2,097.7 296.9 18.5 6.8 
			 2007-08 2,035.9 1,926.4 278.4 16.0 5.6 
			 2008-09 2,603.8 2,455.2 345.6 19.9 6.6 
			 2009-10 4,288.7 4,048.9 559.9 33.7 11.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Jobseeker's  allowance annual  expenditure: Real  t erms 2010-11  p rices 
			  £ million 
			   England and Wales  England  West Midlands  Dudley  Dudley North 
			 1997-98 4,788.8 4,518.1 505.7 25.2 8.7 
			 1998-99 4,271.3 4,024.5 465.7 26.3 9.2 
			 1999-2000 3,822.7 3,603.3 445.5 27.2 9.7 
			 2000-01 3,330.7 3,131.6 409.6 26.0 9.5 
			 2001-02 2,937.5 2,766.2 361.8 23.1 8.2 
			 2002-03 2,869.9 2,709.3 346.2 21.6 8.0 
			 2003-04 2,722.0 2,575.8 339.0 20.1 7.5 
			 2004-05 2,276.0 2,154.0 283.7 17.0 6.4 
			 2005-06 2,370.6 2,243.9 313.1 19.4 7.0 
			 2006-07 2,445.8 2,319.9 328.4 20.4 7.5 
			 2007-08 2,188.5 2,070.7 299.3 17.2 6.0 
			 2008-09 2,730.2 2,574.4 362.4 20.9 6.9 
			 2009-10 4,413.1 4,166.3 576.1 34.7 11.5 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for 2009-10 are based on three quarters of data (May 2009 to November 2009; February 2010 data is not yet available) 2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000  Source:  DWP accounting and statistical data 
		
	
	The available information for Great Britain prior to 199798 can be found in the Library and on the internet at
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

Unemployment Benefits: Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Great Yarmouth constituency have been in receipt of out-of-work benefits for  (a) over six months,  (b) over 12 months and  (c) over five years.

Chris Grayling: The most recent available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Claimants of out of work benefits in the Great Yarmouth constituency, by benefit and duration, as at November 2009 
			   JSA  Incapacity benefits  IS/PC 
			 Over six months 1,150 4,610 1,590 
			 Over 12 months 500 4,360 1,300 
			 Over five years 10 2,910 380 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten 2. The data has been analysed by statistical groups which are hierarchical. A person who fits into more than one category will only appear in the top-most one for which they are eligible. JSA-claimants of jobseekers allowance; Incapacity benefits-claimants of incapacity benefit(IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA)/employment and support allowance(ESA); IS/PC-claimants of income support and males age 60-64 claiming pension credit who are not also claiming IB/SDA. 3. Great Yarmouth parliamentary constituency is analysed using the 2010 boundaries. 4. The duration categories overlap; so for example the number of people on out of work benefits for more than six months includes people who have been out of work for more than 12 months and more than five years.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Unemployment: Young People

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 18 to 24 years resident in Peterborough constituency were not in employment, education or training in each quarter since May 2005; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: holding answer 20 July 2010
	I have been asked to reply.
	The following table provides estimates of the number and proportion of people aged(1) 16 to 24 not in education employment or training (NEET) in the Peterborough local authority in each year from 2005 to 2009. This information is from the Annual Population Survey, which covers the period January to December of each year, with 2009 being the most recent estimate available. The Annual Population Survey is the only available source of data with a sample large enough to provide local authority estimates of the number of young people up to the age of 24 who are NEET. However, the sample is not large enough to provide estimates for smaller geographies, such as parliamentary constituencies, or to provide local authority estimates for age ranges narrower than 16 to 24.
	(1) Age used is respondents academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August.
	
		
			  People aged 16 to 24-years-old not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Peterborough local authority 
			   Number NEET  Percentage NEET  Confidence Interval (PP) 
			 2005 3,000 16 +/-5 
			 2006 4,000 20 +/-6 
			 2007 5,000 22 +/-6 
			 2008 4,000 19 +/-6 
			 2009 3,000 15 +/-5 
			  Note: It is important to note that these estimates are subject to large sampling variability and should therefore be treated with caution and viewed in conjunction with their Confidence Intervals, which indicate how accurate an estimate is. For example, a Confidence Interval of +/-5 percentage points (pp) means that the true value is between 5pp above the estimate and 5pp below the estimate. Base: 16 to 24 year olds, Peterborough local authority  Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	Quarterly estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) derived from the Labour Force Survey are published by the Department for Education. The latest publication can be found online at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000924/index.shtml
	This includes supplementary tables giving breakdowns of 18 to 24-year-olds NEET for each region.

Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the likely effects on Wales of his Department's planned spending reductions.

Chris Grayling: The Government set out in their document 'Spending Review Framework' that they will
	"look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions."
	(2.4, page 7)
	Further information will be available at the spending review.

Winter Fuel Payments: Disability

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for winter fuel payments to those severely disabled people in receipt of higher rate of mobility and core elements of disability living allowance.

Steve Webb: Winter fuel payments are made to most people who have reached women's state pension age, including those who are severely disabled. Older people are targeted because they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months.
	Disability living allowance is specifically designed to help meet the extra costs of disability, including heating.
	Based on the latest available caseload figures, the estimated annual cost increase in benefit expenditure were winter fuel payments to be extended to people receiving the higher rate mobility component or higher rate care component of disability living allowance would be approximately £250 million for winter 2010-11 (in 2010-11 prices), based on a £250 payment.
	This is an upper estimate for the cost of extending winter fuel payments to this group as it includes those customers who may be living in a household that already receives a winter fuel payment. It is not possible to identify disability living allowance customers who would not be entitled to a winter fuel payment because they are living in households that already receive a winter fuel payment.
	Additional help is available to severely disabled people through the disability premiums that are included in income-related benefits, such as income support, council tax benefit, housing benefit and pension credit. A combination of these premiums and the support received through disability living allowance means that the most vulnerable people can receive up to an approximate £8,000 per year in recognition of their extra costs.

Work Capability Assessment

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department takes to obtain information on what happens to applicants for employment and support allowance who are deemed ineligible as a result of the work capability assessment.

Chris Grayling: Of all completed work capability assessments up to the end of February 2010 9% were placed into the support group, 23% were placed in the work related activity group and 68% were found fit for work. We are currently considering how we might look at the experiences and outcomes of this latter group in more detail-some of whom we know flow onto other benefits such as jobseeker's allowance and carer's allowance.

Work Capability Assessment

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reviews his Department is undertaking into the efficacy and appropriateness of work capability assessments.

Chris Grayling: In March, a DWP-led review of the work capability assessment found that generally it is accurately identifying individuals for the right support. The review also made a number of recommendations for improving the assessment, including simplifying the language, making greater provision for people awaiting or in between courses of chemotherapy and people with certain communication and mental health problems, and taking greater account of how an individual has adapted to their condition or disability. On 29 June, we announced our intention to implement these recommendations, and we will now begin to revise the work capability assessment accordingly.
	Additionally, we have a statutory commitment to arrange an independent review of the main elements of the work capability assessment every year for the first five years of operation. The review will be conducted by Professor Malcolm Harrington, acting as lead reviewer. Professor Harrington is a highly respected occupational physician and will be supported by a scrutiny group, who will review progress at intervals and peer review the final report. It is anticipated that a call for evidence will be made later this month.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of applicants for employment and support allowance  (a) in each category of disability and  (b) (i) with and (ii) without representation who were deemed ineligible as a result of the work capability assessment obtained the allowance on appeal in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Data on the health condition of ESA applicants and whether they had representation is not available.
	The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the work capability assessment-the statistics were last updated in April 2010 and published in the report "Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment: Official Statistics: April 2010", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The publication is also available on the internet at the following address:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_arc.asp

Work Choice Programme

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the status is of his Department's Work Choice programme.

Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Alison Seabeck) on 13 July 2010,  Official Report, column 689W.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Death

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department holds on the effects on health of alcohol consumption; and what estimate he has made of the number of deaths from cancer in which alcohol was a contributing factor in the last 12 months.

Anne Milton: The Department reviewed the evidence on the known health effects of alcohol for its 1995 report 'Sensible Drinking'. A copy has been placed in the Library. Effects on health were also summarised in 'Dangerousness of Drugs' (National Addiction Centre, 2001 updated 2003) that was commissioned by the Department. The updated 2003 report has been placed in the Library.
	The Committee on Carcinogenicity published a statement on the role of alcohol in breast cancer in November 2004.
	The Department commissioned the North West Public Health Observatory to provide a detailed analysis of the impact of alcohol use on mortality and hospital admissions in its June 2008 report 'Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions'. A copy of which has already been placed in the Library.
	The Department has also analysed the key international research-particularly the extensive reviews on the effects of alcohol on health published by Corrao (Corrao et al 1999. Exploring the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of several alcohol-related conditions: a meta-analysis. 'Addiction' 94, 1551-1573.) and by Rehm (Rehm et al. 2004. In: WHO (ed), 'Comparative quantification of health risks: Global and regional burden of disease due to selected major risk factors'. Geneva: WHO.); and it has drawn on other published research and reports and on the advice of established experts.
	The number of deaths in England from cancer in which alcohol was a contributing factor in 2005, the latest year for which data are readily available, is 3,163.
	 Note
	Figure is for all adults (aged 16 and over)
	 Source
	Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital
	admissions, North West Public Health Observatory

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the incidence of alcohol dependency in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London borough of Bexley.

Anne Milton: This information is not collected centrally.
	However, we are aware that in 2009-10, Bexley Care Trust conducted an alcohol needs assessment which estimated that there are approximately 4,200 dependent drinkers in the borough. Further information can be obtained from Bexley Care Trust.
	Alcohol is a major public health issue and dependent drinkers are the group of drinkers at greatest risk of admission to hospital, for a range of illnesses.
	We intend to ensure a proper focus on public health within the national health service and help ensure effective commissioning of services, with a focus on good outcomes from treatments, including treatment for alcohol dependence.

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the most appropriate regional level for specialist commissioning of rare cancers.

Paul Burstow: Specialised services are currently commissioned either regionally by Specialised Commissioning Groups or nationally by the National Specialised Commissioning Team. The White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS', published on 12 July 2010, proposes that the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning national and regional specialised services as set out in the Specialised Services National Definitions Set (SSNDS). The cancer definitions set can be found on the National Specialised Commissioning Group website at:
	www.ncg.nhs.uk
	The White Paper trailed a further document setting out the proposals on commissioning, providing the basis for consultation and engagement with health and care professionals and with the public.
	It is also anticipated that specialised commissioning will also be considered as part of the review of the Cancer Reform Strategy.

Carers: Greater Manchester

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated in Stretford and Urmston constituency under the Caring in Confidence programme; how much funding has been allocated to each organisation; how many carers  (a) had received such funding as at March 2010 and  (b) will have received such funding by March 2011.

Paul Burstow: There were no providers of face-to-face Caring with Confidence training located within the Stretford and Urmston constituency.

Departmental Consultants

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts his Department has entered into with external consultants since the Government came into office; and what the  (a) name of the consultants,  (b) terms of reference of the work,  (c) monetary value of the contract and  (d) expected date of completion of the work is in each case.

Simon Burns: holding answer 28 June 2010
	 The information is contained in the following tables:
	
		
			  Table A: Department of Health contracts awarded for departmental projects 
			  External consultant  Terms of reference  Contract value (£)  Completion date 
			 Quality Business Management Ltd Provision of an adviser for Office of Government Commerce (OGC) process on Health Gateway 5,100 16 June 2010 
			 Quality Business Management Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,350 16 June 2010 
			 Quality Business Management Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 5,200 15 July 2010 
			 Quality Business Management Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,600 15 July 2010 
			 Mott MacDonald Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 5,875 9 July 2010 
			 QI Consulting Provision of adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,600 15 July 2010 
			 Evolve Business Consultancy Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,890 15 July 2010 
			 Inventures Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,750 7July 2010 
			 Malcolm Hutchinson Associates Ltd Provision of an adviser for OGC process on Health Gateway 4,950 7 July 2010 
			 Trenton Consultants Ltd Fire risk assessment for Quarry House, Leeds 1,000 30 June 2010 
			 Longmore Ltd Cost and benefit assessment on carers workloads 15,000 27 August 2010 
			 DPA Communications Ltd Communications advice on 'Enhanced Recovery Programme' 4,255 31 March 2011 
			  Source: Department of Health 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Department of Health contracts awarded to support the National Programme for IT 
			  External consultant  Terms of reference  Contract value (£)  Completion date 
			 Moorhouse Consulting Testing of messaging patterns for 'Spine' services 110,000 17 September 2010 
			 Intel Design and development for 'Spine' services project 30,250 2 August 2010 
			 Oracle Design and development for 'Spine' services project 68,040 16 August 2010 
			 Loughborough University Enterprises Ltd Research to inform 'NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices' 32,990 4 October 2010 
			 KPMG Financial audit of two suppliers participating in the National Programme for IT 630,000 30 September 2010 
			  Source: Department of Health 
		
	
	
		
			  Table C: Medicines and Healthcare regulatory Agency (MHRA) contracts 
			  External consultant  Terms of reference  Contract value (£)  Completion date 
			 IIR Management Development Speed Reading course for 'Good Practice Management' inspectors 5,170 10 June 2010 
			 Liz Allanson Consultancy Development of syllabus and assessment for wholesaler distributors 4,575 31 July 2010 
			 Michael Lock Consultant Psychologists Ltd Assessment centre for 'Good Practice Management' inspectors 4,144 21 May 2010 
			  Note: The MHRA is an Executive agency of the Department of Health.  Source: MHRA

Departmental Marketing

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his  (a) Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: Since 1997, the Department has spent a total of £36,660 on logo design. The following table shows a breakdown of expenditure by financial year.
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 1997-98 No recorded costs 
			 1998-99 No recorded costs 
			 1999-2000 No recorded costs 
			 2000-01 No recorded costs 
			 2001-02 No recorded costs 
			 2002-03 Individual logo costs not identified(1) 
			 2003-04 1,920 
			 2004-05 No recorded costs 
			 2005-06 No recorded costs 
			 2006-07 Individual logo costs not identified(1) 
			 2007-08 12,000 
			 2008-09 22,740 Individual logo costs not identified(2) 
			 2009-10 No recorded costs 
			 (1) It has not been possible to isolate logo costs from the overall design project. (2) The Department is aware of additional expenditure on logo design in 2008-09 but is unable to isolate the costs from the overall design project. 
		
	
	Information on expenditure by agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Security

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: Information on security expenditure is not available before April 2002.
	Expenditure on security from 2001 to 2010, for the Department including NHS Connecting for Health, was as follows:
	
		
			  April to March each year  £ 
			 2002-03 1,032,127 
			 2003-04 1,436,213 
			 2004-05 1,599,608 
			 2005-06 1,207,172 
			 2006-07 1,356,658 
			 2007-08 1,592,884 
			 2008-09 1,384,410 
			 2009-10 1,509,351 
		
	
	Comprehensive information on security expenditure from all of our non-departmental bodies and executive agencies is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Limited information from 2001 to 2010 has been obtained from the General Social Care Council, Care Quality Commission, Health Protection Agency, Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority, Appointments Commission.
	Total expenditure on security by these bodies was as follows:
	
		
			  April to March each year  £ 
			 2001-02 8,000 
			 2002-03 31,758 
			 2003-04 164,251 
			 2004-05 271,000 
			 2005-06 823,758 
			 2006-07 878,000 
			 2007-08 970,000 
			 2008-09 1,041,000 
			 2009-10 1,474,000

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his proposed plan to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency.

Anne Milton: The Department is currently establishing detailed costings for the transfer.

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to consult on his proposals to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved administrations on his proposed plan to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency.

Anne Milton: The Department has sought views from the devolved Administrations on proposals to transfer responsibility for nutrition policy for England from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department.
	We are working closely with the FSA on the transfer. We will be consulting with unions as part of the implementation process.

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he undertook a cost-benefit analysis of his proposal to incorporate into his Department the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency.

Anne Milton: No. We are currently establishing detailed costings of the transfer. We are confident that it will bring significant benefits to consumers through a more co-ordinated, coherent policy-making process and consistent messages on a healthy, balanced diet.

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the openness and transparency with which the Food Standards Agency deals with nutritional issues; and if he will incorporate such principles into the work of his Department's expanded nutrition division;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the process of decision-making on nutritional issues in the Food Standards Agency; and if he will incorporate such processes in the work of his Department's expended nutrition division.

Anne Milton: We recognise the contribution that the Food Standards Agency has made on a range of nutritional issues. The staff who are transferred to the Department will operate on the same basis as existing departmental civil servants.
	Nutrition policy will continue to be informed by evidence and scientific expertise, including advice from independent experts. The Department is also committed to providing evidence-based advice to consumers to support them in making healthier lifestyle choices.

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the access of representatives of  (a) non-governmental organisations and  (b) the food industry to senior executives of the Food Standards Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: None. The Food Standards Agency will remain a non-ministerial Government Department, therefore senior executives will continue to meet with non-government organisations and the food industry as appropriate.

Food Standards Agency

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of each pay band work in the nutrition division of his Department; and how many staff at each pay band he plans to incorporate into that division from the corresponding division of the Food Standards Agency.

Anne Milton: There are 10 permanent staff in the nutrition team of the Department which are as follows:
	
		
			  Grade  Number 
			 Grade 6 2 
			 Grade 7 2 
			 Senior executive officer 1 
			 Higher executive officer 2 
			 Executive officer 2 
		
	
	Following the announcement on 20 July 2010 about the transfer of staff from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department, we are working with the FSA to agree the number of staff who will join the Department's nutrition team.

Food Standards Agency

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of service is of staff employed at each office of the Food Standards Agency.

Anne Milton: The average length of service (in years) of staff employed at each office of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), as at 31 March 2010, is as follows:
	
		
			   Length of service (years) 
			 Westminster 8.70 
			 Scotland 4.47 
			 Wales 4.92 
			 NI 4.78

Food Standards Agency

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) running costs and  (b) fixed accommodation costs were of each office of the Food Standards Agency in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The information is as follows:
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			  FSA Westminster:  
			 Fixed costs 7,428,796 7,466,818 7,558,302 7,532,636 7,718,792 
			 Running costs 1,364,682 1,465,124 1,521,704 (1)2,337,929 1,893,853 
			  FSA Scotland:  
			 Fixed costs 225,590 372,696 269,630 334,932 304,253 
			 Running costs 25,399 55,820 48,219 64,624 (1)175,160 
			  FSA Wales:  
			 Fixed costs 108,861 171,383 86,301 80,287 84,206 
			 Running costs 10,810 37,932 32,383 59,984 67,104 
			  FSA NI:  
			 Fixed costs 161,755 172,029 164,879 168,847 177,055 
			 Running costs 44,741 82,301 55,068 62,985 66,693 
			 (1) The increases for FSA Westminster 2008 and FSA Scotland 2009 relate to one-off refurbishments. 
		
	
	Fixed costs includes rent, rates and building insurance costs.
	Running costs includes repairs and maintenance, utilities, security, facilities management, cleaning and catering costs.

General Practitioners

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to encourage GPs to take part in GP commissioning;
	(2)  what financial training and support his Department plans to provide to GPs to manage health budgets.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices.
	A fundamental principle of the new arrangements is that every GP practice will be a member of a consortium, as a corollary of holding a list of registered patients.
	GP consortia will have the freedom to decide what commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for what activities (such as some aspects of financial management) they may choose to buy in support from external organisations, including local authorities, private and voluntary sector bodies.
	Primary care trusts will also have an important task in the next two years in supporting practices to prepare for the new arrangements.
	We will shortly issue a document setting out our proposals in more detail. This will provide the basis for fuller engagement with primary care professionals, patients and the public.

General Practitioners

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how he plans to ensure co-ordination of services under GP commissioning for cancer;
	(2)  how he plans to ensure that GPs have the expertise to commission the full range of services needed for complex diseases.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	Primary care professionals coordinate all the services that patients receive, helping them to navigate the system and ensure that they get the best care. For this reason they are best placed to coordinate the commissioning of care for their patients while involving all other clinical professionals who are also part of any pathway.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will also host some clinical commissioning networks, for example for rarer cancers, to pool specialist expertise.
	A document setting out these proposals in more detail will be issued shortly, providing the basis for further engagement with health and care professionals and with the public.

General Practitioners

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 661-681, on NHS White Paper, what  (a) funding and  (b) other resources will be provided to GPs to enable them to undertake commissioning.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will calculate practice-level budgets and allocate these directly to GP consortia. GP consortia will be responsible for managing the combined commissioning budgets of their member GP practices, and using these resources to improve healthcare and health outcomes.
	We envisage that consortia will receive a maximum management allowance to reflect the costs associated with commissioning. Consortia will have the freedom to decide what commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for what activities (such as demographic analysis) they may choose to buy in support from external organisations, including local authorities, private and voluntary sector bodies.
	We will shortly issue a document setting out our proposals in more detail. This will provide the basis for fuller engagement with primary care professionals, patients and the public.

NHS Commissioning Board

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 661-81, on NHS White Paper, 
	(1)  what the expected governance model is for the NHS Commissioning Board;
	(2)  what arrangements there will be for the NHS Commissioning board to report to  (a) him and  (b) the Permanent Secretary of his Department;
	(3)  how members of the NHS Commissioning Board will be appointed; what their remuneration will be; and how many days per month they will be expected to work.

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  who will have responsibility for appointing the members of the NHS Commissioning Board; what criteria will be used to determine the salary and remuneration package for members of that board; and whether details of the salary and remuneration package of members of that board will be published;
	(2)  what accountability mechanisms he plans to establish in respect of the NHS Commissioning Board; what powers there will be to remove NHS Commissioning Board members under his proposals; by whom and by what mechanisms; how the performance of the NHS Commissioning Board will be evaluated; and what sanctions will be available to whom if the NHS Commissioning Board does not meet its objectives.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", published on 12 July stated the Government's intention to establish an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	As set out in the White Paper, it is the Government's intention that the Secretary of State will be obliged to set out objectives for the NHS Commissioning Board on an annual basis, including improvements against agreed outcome indicators, against which the performance of the board will be evaluated. We envisage that the NHS Commissioning Board will be required to report annually on how it has performed against those objectives.
	We intend to introduce legislation to establish the NHS Commissioning Board later this year. The Health Bill will set out further details about how members of the board will be appointed, provision as to the terms of their appointment, their remuneration and how they will be held to account.
	The Department will be consulting over the summer on the indicators that would be appropriate to use to use to assess the outcomes achieved by the Commissioning Board.

NHS Foundation Trusts

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken in relation to hospitals which do not meet the financial requirements to become a foundation trust.

Simon Burns: Within three years, we will support all national health service trusts to become foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust is unsustainable, the Secretary of State may, as a matter of last resort, apply the trust administration regime set out in the Health Act 2009.
	s set out in the White Paper, "Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS", as the new economic regulator, Monitor will also play a role in ensuring that access to essential services is maintained.

NHS Foundation Trusts

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to prevent foundation trusts over-spending their budget following the implementation of the proposals in the White Paper Liberating the NHS.

Simon Burns: As set out in the White Paper, "Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS", foundation trusts will be in charge of their own destiny, without central or regional management or support. This will be supported by a system of economic regulation overseen by Monitor that will drive efficiency. It will include a rules-based special administration regime. Hidden bail-outs will end.

NHS: Costs

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his Department's estimate is of the redundancy costs which will arise from the proposed abolition of  (a) regional health authorities and  (b) primary care trusts;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the net cost to the public purse of implementing all the proposals in the Health White Paper.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is of  (a) abolishing strategic health authorities and primary care trusts and  (b) establishing GP commissioning.

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 661-681, on NHS White Paper, what his estimate is of the cost of abolishing primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.

Simon Burns: The White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' laid out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the national health service is structured and run. It will not be possible to give a precise estimate of the costs of implementing these reforms until the new organisations that will underpin the new system have been designed in more detail. The Government will publish an impact assessment later this year in the light of consultation on the detailed approach to implementation.
	However, the White Paper made clear that NHS management costs will be cut by more than 45% over the next four years. We will ensure that the one-off costs of implementing the White Paper are affordable within the requirements of the wider spending review, while ensuring funding is focused on front-line patient care.

Salt: Health Education

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the recent Government advertising campaign to encourage people to eat less salt.

Anne Milton: The most recent phase of the Food Standards Agency's public awareness campaign to encourage people to eat less salt, which launched in October 2009, cost £3,466,808. This includes all campaign costs such as advertising, production, research, marketing and public relations and online work.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits of a  (a) national,  (b) regional and  (c) local mechanism for the (i) provision of information and (ii) evaluation of best practice in respect of services and support available to those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Self-harm is most commonly managed in secondary care. This includes both hospital medical care and mental health services. About half of the people who present to an accident and emergency department (A and E) after self-harming are assessed by a mental health professional. Treatments include psychological interventions, pharmacological interventions and harm management.
	The national health service will be backed with increased real resources yet we recognise that there are still efficiencies to be made, however, we intend to make sure front-line services in the NHS as a whole are protected from cuts.
	We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including self-harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best 'health' outcomes.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allocate funding for research into the effect of  (a) the internet and  (b) social networking sites on those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Policy Research Programme will fund research which provides evidence to support policy.
	We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best 'health' outcomes.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of support provided by his Department to third sector organisations assisting people who  (a) are suspected to be at the risk of suicide and  (b) self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the level of support it has provided to third sector organisations who assist people who are suspected to be at risk of suicide and self harm. While suicide rates in England have been falling since the 1980s and are now among the lowest in Europe, we are actively considering how best to make further progress.
	The Department's main source of funding to charitable sector is under the Third Sector Investment Programme, Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund (IESD). This fund seeks to support third sector innovation, promote and embed excellence, and provide investment to grow quality sustainable services; to inform national policy, and support the sector's role in improvement and innovation. Departmental preferences are decided upon annually and organisations who consider that they meet the eligibility criteria and preferences are welcome to apply.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allocate funding to  (a) assess the quality and provision of services by primary care trusts to those who self-harm and  (b) research the causes of self-harm; and if he will issue guidance to clinicians on the provision of treatment to reduce the incidence of self-harm.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence guideline on self-harm covers:
	the care people who harm themselves can expect to receive from health care professionals in hospital and out of hospital;
	the information they can expect to receive;
	what they can expect from treatment; and
	what kinds of services best help people who harm themselves.
	As a new Government we have a large number of issues to tackle. We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including suicide and self harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best health outcomes.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of self-harm amongst  (a) prisoners,  (b) asylum seekers,  (c) armed forces veterans,  (d) people bereaved by suicide,  (e) ethnic minority groups and  (f) sexual orientation minority groups in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We do not collect this data centrally, and nor does the national health service information centre.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the standard of services across  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) local authorities for people who self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The provision and funding of local health services, including anger management, is a decision for primary care trusts, in partnership with their strategic health authorities. Therefore, we have made no such assessment.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people who have  (a) self-harmed and  (b) attempted suicide who have been able to access clinically-trained psychiatric staff when presenting at hospital accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We have not made an estimate of this nature. However, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on self-harm does make clear that clinical and non-clinical staff who have contact with people who self-harm in any setting should be provided with appropriate training to equip them to understand and care for people who have self-harmed.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of self-harm by  (a) men and  (b) women of each age group there were in each primary care trust in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were discharged from hospital following an episode of  (a) self-harm and  (b) attempted suicide in cases where there has been no (i) psychiatric assessment of their mental state, (ii) needs assessment, (iii) care plan, (iv) follow-through GP appointment and (v) provision for any further service or support; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who self-harm or attempt suicide make a number of recommendations including a psychiatric assessment of mental state, needs assessment, care plan, follow-through general practitioner appointment and that provision for any further service or support should be carried out. Information on compliance with these recommendations is not collected centrally.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with  (a) people who self-harm,  (b) carers of those who self-harm,  (c) health service professionals and  (d) third sector workers on (i) the provision of services, (ii) the effectiveness of services and (iii) the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We have had no such discussion thus far. We will be assessing our priorities carefully and will announce details on mental health policy, including self-harm, in due course. Our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive to patients' choice and management of their own care, and delivering best 'health' outcomes.
	The national health service will be backed with increased real resources yet we recognise that there are still efficiencies to be made, however, we intend to make sure front-line services in the NHS as a whole are protected from cuts.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of training provided to increase the levels of understanding of staff working in hospital accident and emergency departments of self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: It is for United Kingdom health professions regulators to ensure patient safety by establishing minimum standards (qualifications, health and character) required to hold a protected professional title (for example, paramedic) and quality assuring the provision of education to ensure that it meets the standards set. Therefore, we have made no such assessment.

Self-harm

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the level of compliance by primary care trusts with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on  (a) self-harm and  (b) suicide; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will hold discussions with the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the extent to which their members meet the standards set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines and professional practice in relation to self-harm; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We have made no such assessment. National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines are not enforced, but are recommendations. The provision and funding of local health services is a decision for primary care trusts, in partnership with their strategic health authorities.
	Ministers have and will continue to have meetings with a range of stakeholders, including the Royal Colleges, on mental health policy.

Suicide

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with  (a) people who have attempted suicide,  (b) carers of people who have attempted suicide,  (c) health professionals and  (d) third sector workers on (i) the provision of services, (ii) the effectiveness of services and (iii) the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for those who have attempted suicide; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing a public health strategy on self-harm; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will discuss with ministerial colleagues in the devolved administrations the merits of research into the effectiveness of the suicide prevention strategies; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 19 July 2010,  Official Report, column 96W.

Suicide

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will commission research on the effect on the incidence of suicide of economic downturns; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will commission research on the effect on the incidence of self-harm of economic downturns; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not commissioned research on the impact of the economic downturn on levels of demand for mental health services. However, we recognise that there are links between poor mental health and difficult economic circumstances and, in the current climate, it is understandable that people might worry more about their finances and employment. Our confirmation of the final £70 million instalment of growth funding from the current spending round for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is enabling primary care trusts to broaden the geographical coverage of services, meaning more people can get help, and to increase the range of therapies available, giving people more choice and access to the right psychological support.

EDUCATION

Academies: Chesterfield

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Chesterfield have  (a) been classified as outstanding,  (b) expressed interest in becoming academy schools and  (c) been approved for academy school status in the last three years.

Nick Gibb: The schools in the town of Chesterfield(1) that have been judged outstanding by Ofsted at their most recent inspection are listed in the following table.
	(1) Post codes beginning with S40-S43 and S45
	
		
			  Name of school  Phase of education 
			 Brookfield Community School Secondary 
			 Ashover Primary School Primary 
			 Brockwell Junior school Primary 
			 Brockwell Nursery and Infant School Primary 
			 Clowne Infant and Nursery School Primary 
			 Cutthorpe Primary School Primary 
			 Hasland Junior School Primary 
			 Henry Bradley Infant School Primary 
			 Spire Junior School Primary 
			 Westfield Infant School Primary 
		
	
	As at 7 July 2010 none of the above schools have expressed an interest in becoming an Academy.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the Barnett consequentials of his announcements on the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	No Barnett consequentials arose from the Secretary of State for Education's announcement in respect of the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Children: Databases

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from local authorities in the West Midlands on the decision to end the ContactPoint database.

Tim Loughton: We have confirmed with local authorities and other partners our firm intention to end the ContactPoint database as soon as is practicable. Both coalition partners' manifestos included a clear commitment to scrap ContactPoint, to fulfil a longstanding policy commitment, discussed with a wide range of interested organisations in recent years. We have consistently opposed a database, which contains details about all children in England, accessed by hundreds of thousands of people and we signalled our opposition in debates on the original legislation in the 2004 Children Act.
	The Department for Education has received no representations from local authorities in the west midlands on this decision. We will continue to engage with and draw on the views with a wide range of organisations as we consider the scope for a more proportionate approach to protecting children most in need.

Children: Databases

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on the ContactPoint scheme in  (a) the West Midlands,  (b) Dudley borough and  (c) Dudley North constituency in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has provided grant funding to local authorities and national partners to support the local implementation of ContactPoint. £2,621,000 was paid to the 14 children's services authorities in the west midlands in the 2009-10 financial year. Grant payments made to these authorities between 1 April and 30 June 2010 (inclusive) were £377,555.75. Within these totals, the amounts paid to Dudley metropolitan borough council were £170,000 in 2009-10, and £23,747.75 for 1 April to 30 June 2010.
	Figures are not available for spending broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Departmental Billing

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not have a central record of the time taken by contractors to pay their sub-contractors and the information could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Medical Reports: Sexual Abuse

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his proposal to publish serious case reviews in full includes the publication of medical reports on victims of physical and sexual abuse.

Tim Loughton: Local Safeguarding Children Boards are required to publish both the overview report and the executive summary-anonymised and without identifying details-for all Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) initiated on or after 10 June unless there are compelling child welfare reasons for this not to happen. We do not expect published SCR overview reports or executive summaries to include medical reports, but they may include medical information. Local Safeguarding Children Boards should take account of the Data Protection Act and of legal and other requirements in respect of confidential medical information.

Outdoor Education: Finance

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department expects to allocate to the Learning Outside the Classroom programme in  (a) 2011-12,  (b) 2012-13 and  (c) 2013-14.

Nick Gibb: We are still considering our priorities and no decisions have yet been taken on funding from April 2011. We will however be responding before the summer recess to a report issued on 1 April 2010 by the then Children Schools and Families Select Committee on "Transforming Education Outside the Classroom".

Schools: ICT

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the educational value of interactive whiteboards as compared with blackboards; what cost-benefit analysis of interactive whiteboards has been undertaken; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 13 July 2010
	The Department last commissioned a major study into Interactive Whiteboards in 2004-06. The Primary Schools Whiteboard Expansion project (PSWE) monitored the effects of the acquisition and use of interactive whiteboards. It found measurable improvements in results in a range of Key Stage 2 tests as teachers became used to the equipment during the first two years after installation.

Schools: Management

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what safeguards he plans to put in place to prevent inappropriate groups from being approved to manage the proposed free schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Free School proposers will be subject to a rigorous vetting process at the proposal stage, including an enhanced CRB check and background suitability checks. Individuals may be prohibited from taking part in the management of a Free School on grounds relating to misconduct.
	The Secretary of State will consider each proposal on its merits and take into account all matters relevant to that proposal and will generally reject any proposers who advocate violence, intolerance, hatred or whose ideology runs counter to the UK's democratic values.

Social Services

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to  (a) recruit and  (b) retain and support social workers.

Tim Loughton: The Government are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force, which collectively comprise a programme of work to support social work including recruitment, retention and support of social workers. I have asked the Social Work Reform Board to continue its work to deliver these recommendations, which include:
	a new and independent College for Social Work, led and owned by the profession;
	a career structure for social workers so that experienced practitioners can progress in front line roles as well as management;
	a new standard for employers to ensure that they put in place the conditions that social workers need to practice effectively;
	a model for forecasting levels of supply and demand for social workers to assist employers in planning for the workforce they need; and
	local authority children's services in 2010-11 to support local social work improvement activity.
	The Department also confirmed continued funding in 2010-11 of recruitment and The Social Work Reform Board will work closely with Professor Eileen Munro during her review of child protection, launched by the Secretary of State for Education on 10 June.
	Additionally, on the same day as the launch of Professor Munro's review the Department announced a £23 million Local Social Work Improvement Fund available to retention programmes led by the Children's Workforce Development Council including:
	The Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) programme to help social work graduates transition into the workforce;
	Early Professional Development for social workers in their second and third years of practice, building on the NQSW programme; and
	Graduate Recruitment and Step Up to Social Work schemes to encourage high quality graduates to train to be social workers.

Special Educational Needs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the average length of the time taken for a child with special educational needs to be statemented by the relevant local authority in  (a) North Yorkshire and  (b) England.

Sarah Teather: The statutory time limit for finalising a statement of special educational needs (SEN) is 26 weeks from an originating request for an assessment. The relevant Regulations set out exceptions to the internal time limits which make up the 26 weeks, for example when local authorities do not receive advice from the health service within time.
	The Department does not collect data on the average length of time taken to finalise statements. However, last year the Department published data on the percentage of statements which local authorities completed within the statutory 26 weeks. The data showed that, in 2008-09, across England 91% of statements where none of the statutory exceptions applied were completed within time and 82% of all statements, including ones where the statutory exceptions applied. The figures for North Yorkshire were 85% and 80% respectively. The data is available at the Department's website:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	A Statistical Release providing these data for 2009-10 will be published in December 2010.

Teach First

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many trainee teachers participated in the Teach First programme in 2009; how many trainee teachers he expects to participate in that programme in  (a) 2010 and  (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: In 2008/09, there were 370 trainees recruited to the Teach First programme. Provisional data for the autumn term 2009/10 indicate there were 480 recruits. This information has been published as part of Statistical First Release (23/2009): School Workforce in England at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000874/Addition_A.xls
	In 2010/11, some 620 places will be available for the Teach First programme. In 2011/12 it is expected that 660 places will be made available.

Teachers: Conditions of Employment

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the effects on  (a) staff flexibility and  (b) school budgets of the operation of the rarely cover procedure in schools; and if he will review the operation of the procedure in order to mitigate such effects.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 15 July 2010
	This Government want to provide schools with greater freedoms and flexibilities by freeing up school teachers' pay and conditions and giving greater powers back to heads. As part of delivering this commitment we will want to consider a wide range of issues, including the operation of rarely cover.

Teachers: Training

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will undertake an investigation of the arrangements for training teachers for the purpose of raising the standard of teaching in schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 12 July 2010
	The Department is already investigating a number of proposals that will improve the training of teachers so that standards of teaching are raised in schools. It is the Government's ambition to improve the prestige of the profession so that it attracts the highest quality entrants and to base more initial teacher training in schools so that trainees spend as much time in the classroom as possible, learning from the best teachers. For example, the Secretary of State has already announced plans to expand the successful Teach First scheme so that more schools, including for the first time primary schools, may benefit from the talents of the country's best graduates.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) cautioned,  (b) charged and  (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 years in each London borough in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The number of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued and the number proceeded against for 'selling alcohol to persons aged under 18', in London (Metropolitan and City of London police force area combined), 2004 to 2008 (latest available) can be viewed in the table. Data on the number of cautions issued in London are not available.
	Information held centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by borough of London area, therefore Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Area data has been provided in lieu. Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.
	
		
			  Number of  penalty notices for disorder  (PNDs) issued the number of persons cautioned and proceeded against( 1)  for selling alcohol to persons aged under 18( 2)  in London( 3)  from 2004 - 08( 4) 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Penalty notices for disorder 21 161 252 341 260 
			 Proceeded against 167 253 236 176 71 
			 Cautions - - - - - 
			 (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Includes the following offences: (a) Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises. (b) Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. (c) Sale of alcohol to person under 18. (d) Allowing sale of alcohol to person under 18. (e) Persistently selling alcohol to children. (3) Includes the City of London and Metropolitan police force. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: JSAS

Asylum: Domestic Violence

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2010,  Official Report, column 195W, on asylum: domestic violence, what timetable she has set for the  (a) full evaluation and  (b) publication of the report on the pilot project; against what criteria the pilot will be assessed; and what steps her department is taking to make interim arrangements for those with no recourse to public funds.

Damian Green: A Home Office pilot project for victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds commenced in November 2009 and was scheduled to run to the end of August 2010. On 16 July, the Home Secretary announced an extension to the pilot until the end of March 2011 and a commitment to find a long-term funding solution to the issue. The pilot is monitored on a monthly basis and a full evaluation will take place following completion of the pilot.

British Nationality: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 138W, on British nationality: overseas students, whether time spent on a student visa counts towards the qualifying period for UK citizenship.

Damian Green: The position has not changed. Time spent in the United Kingdom on a student visa can count towards the residence requirements for naturalisation if a person meets the statutory requirements on the date of application.

Crime: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to treat anti-Semitic crimes as distinct from other crimes of racial hatred; what recent representations she has received on this issue; and if she will make a statement. [R]

James Brokenshire: The Government are committed to tackling hate crime. The police, CPS and courts have a wide range of legal powers to deal with racial and religious hatred and incitement to hatred. We currently have no plans to bring forward proposals to treat anti-Semitic crimes as distinct from other crimes of racial hatred. We have not received any recent representations on this specific issue.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) National Community Tension Team collect anti-Semitic data. We are working with them to assess whether it is possible to publish this.

Deportation: Florence and Precious Mhango

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on the deportation of Florence and Precious Mhango.

Damian Green: I cannot comment on individual cases. However, Home Office Ministers expect families who have been told by our courts that they have no basis to remain in the UK to leave voluntarily. Where they refuse to do so their removal may be enforced.

Detainees: Children

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from what date children will no longer be detained for immigration purposes; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: This Government are committed to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. We want to replace the current system with something that ensures that families with no right to be in this country return in a more dignified manner. I have asked for a review to identify ways in which this could be achieved. An announcement on the way forward will be made once that process is complete.

Domestic Violence

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to end the retention of Domestic violence

James Brokenshire: Since the 30 March 2009 the DNA profiles of all children under 10 in England and Wales has been removed from the National DNA Database and no further DNA has been retained.
	The Government are currently consulting on the retention of DNA as part of the "Your Freedom" website. We will be considering the responses before bringing forward provisions in the Freedom Bill in the first Session.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons identified as trafficked into the UK and not eligible for the National Referral Mechanism were deported in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Anyone who claims to be a victim of trafficking or is identified by front line agencies such as the police, local authorities or UK Border Agency as being a potential victim of trafficking is eligible to enter the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
	There is currently no record of any enforced returns of individuals conclusively found to be victims of trafficking to their country of origin since the NRM came into force on 1 April 2009.

Identity Cards: Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in Scotland applied for an identity card.

Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 June 2010,  Official Report, column 434W.

Illegal Immigrants

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on steps to counter illegal immigration.

Damian Green: The five year plan of the coalition Government shows that we are committed to striking at the heart of illegal immigration and tackling those who break the rules. This includes using intelligence to target terrorist suspects, known criminals and would be illegal immigrants before they cross the border. All passengers arriving in the United Kingdom are checked against Watchlists. We will continue to utilise the latest technology to ensure our border checks remain robust. We will increase public confidence in the immigration system by removing those who have no right to be here more efficiently, and speeding up the processing of asylum claims. We will continue to work closely with our UK and international partners to ensure long term success in fighting illegal immigration.

Immigration

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were refused indefinite leave to remain in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were refused asylum in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were refused further leave to remain in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how many people living in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were removed from the UK in each year since 1997;
	(5)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were granted further leave to remain in the UK in each year since 1997;
	(6)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were granted asylum in each year since 1997;
	(7)  how many people were granted indefinite leave to remain in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: Information has been requested for Weaver Vale constituency and Cheshire.
	While UKBA holds information on the number of grants, refusals and removals relating to specific areas we do not produce regular reports broken down in this manner. Therefore, to provide information for these areas would be at a disproportionate cost.
	We are, however, able to provide all of this data for the UK and for removals and asylum applications for the North West as shown in the following tables.
	We have assumed the 'North West' to cover the same geographical area as the UKBA North West region. This region was formed following a restructuring of UKBA in 2006; therefore we are only able to report at this level from this time.
	It should be noted that whilst the data captures asylum applications processed within the North West, applicants may no longer reside in the region.
	The North West region is a processing centre for applications for indefinite leave to remain nationally whilst applications for temporary residence (leave to remain and further leave to remain) are processed nationally in the North East Yorkshire and Humber Region. It is therefore not possible to answer questions one, three, five and seven for North West cases only.
	
		
			  National breakdown 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003 
			 1. ILR/ILE Refusals 1,735 1,380 515 2,140 2,155 4,260 9.670 
			 2. Asylum Grants 3,985 5,345 7,815 10,375 11,450 8,270 3,865 
			 3. FLTR refusals 6,465 5,160 3,775 9,100 13,325 14,315 23,505 
			 4. Removals 31,150 34,920 37,780 46,645 50,625 68,630 64,390 
			 5. FLTR grants 117,355 103,085 109,040 157,650 189,145 244,400 356,245 
			 6. Asylum Refusals 28,945 22,315 11.025 75,680 89,310 55,130 53,865 
			 7. ILR/ILE grants 58,725 69,790 97,115 125,945 108,410 115,965 139,280 
		
	
	
		
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 1. ILR/ILE Refusals 6,525 6,260 8,365 11,875 7.420 9,800 
			 2. Asylum Grants 1,565 1,940 2,170 3,545 3,725 4,175 
			 3. FLTR refusals 24,730 27,175 20,175 23.555 21,120 49,215 
			 4. Removals 61,160 58,215 63,865 63,365 67,980 64,750 
			 5. FLTR grants 287,765 263,125 267,995 274,020 267,865 251,245 
			 6. Asylum Refusals 40,465 22,655 16,460 16,030 13,505 17,805 
			 7. ILR/ILE grants 139,210 179,120 134,445 124,855 148,740 192,680 
			  Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Removals data includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after notifying the UK Border Agency of their intention to leave prior to their departure, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration and since January 2005 persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. 3. Published statistics report on settlement cases which include ILE and ILR, these cannot be separated. 4. Grants and refusals of FLTR and ILR/ILE include reconsideration cases and the outcomes of appeals and exclude asylum related cases from 2003. 5. Asylum grants and refusals include initial decisions, excluding outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.  6. Information on immigration and asylum is published quarterly in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary United Kingdom which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate web site at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html 
		
	
	
		
			  North West breakdown: 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 2. Asylum Grants 98 582 690 763 
			 4. Removals (FY) 2,030 1,533 1,315 1,736 
			 6. Asylum Refusals 212 1,095 1460 2207 
			  Note: All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Immigration: Children

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children accompanying nationals of EEA states were interviewed separately by officials of the UK Border Agency and its predecessors at ports of entry in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Records are not held on the number of children who were interviewed separately by officials of the UK Border Agency, where they were accompanied by nationals of EEA states, for each of the last five years. Such information could be obtained only by detailed examination of case records on the UK Border Agency Central Information Database (CID). This could be completed only at disproportionate cost to the agency.
	Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 places a legal duty on border force officers to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and young people as part of their work.
	In carrying out this Section 55 duty, border force officers will make enquiries when any child arrives in the UK unaccompanied, or with a person other than their parent, to ensure they are satisfied that suitable arrangements have been made for the child's reception and welfare in the UK.
	There is no mandatory requirement for a European economic area/European Union national child to travel with a letter consenting to their travel, if not travelling with their parents.
	Passengers holding EEA passports or identity cards are not subject to immigration control. However, they are required to satisfy a border force officer as to their nationality and identity.

Immigration: Detainees

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) adults and  (b) children were held in detention under immigration laws in each of the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The requested information is not available. The following table shows the number of persons entering detention in each of the last 12 months for which figures have been published.
	Information on detention relating to the second quarter 2010 will be available in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, April-June 2010 on 26 August 2010 in the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	I recently announced a review into the detention of children for asylum purposes so it can be brought to an end this summer. We have already ended the overnight detention of children at Dungavel.
	
		
			  Persons entering detention( 1, 2)  he ld solely under Immigration Act powers, by age( 3) , (excluding Harwich), by month April 2009 to March 2010( 4, 5)  United Kingdom 
			  Number of persons 
			   Persons entering detention 
			 Children( 3) 
			   Total detainees  Adults( 3)  Under 5 years  5-11 years  12-16 years  16 years  Total 
			 April 2009 2,460 2,385 30 25 15 - 75 
			 May 2009 2,425 2,345 40 30 5 * 60 
			 June 2009 2,315 2,235 50 20 10 * 80 
			 July 2009 2,615 2,480 50 50 30 10 135 
			 August 2009 2,190 2,100 45 30 15 * 90 
			 September 2009 2,310 2,220 40 25 20 5 90 
			 October 2009 2,490 2,395 40 40 15 5 100 
			 November 2009 2,375 2,265 55 45 10 * 110 
			 December 2009 2,050 1,975 40 20 10 * 75 
			 January 2010 2,325 2,235 35 30 15 10 95 
			 February 2010 2,240 2,170 30 25 10 5 70 
			 March 2010 2,330 2,260 30 30 10 * 65 
			 (1) These figures are based on management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics. They are provisional and maybe subject to change. (2) Some detainees may be recorded more than once if, for example, the person has been detained on more than one separate occasion in the time period shown, such as a person who has left detention, but has subsequently been re-detained. (3) Recorded age at the start of their period of detention. Figures for children will overstate if any applicants aged 18 or over claim to be younger. (4) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ('-' = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. Figures exclude persons recorded as entering Harwich Short Term Holding Facility, police cells and Prison Service establishments, those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. (5) Figures include dependants.

Offenders: Deportation

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were deported from the UK to each country of destination in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The following table shows the number of removals and voluntary departures, by country of destination, 2005-09.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Removals and voluntary departures from the United Kingdom( 1, 2) , by country of destination, 2005-09( 3, 5) 
			  Number of departures 
			  Country of destination( 4)  2005  2006  2007  2008( 5)  2009( 5) 
			 Afghanistan 940 975 985 875 1,180 
			 Albania 1,165 1,690 1,440 1,025 735 
			 Algeria 325 390 405 450 335 
			 American Samoa 5 5 5 * 10 
			 Angola 190 135 110 115 75 
			 Anguilla - - - * - 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 50 55 105 55 55 
			 Argentina 65 80 85 75 60 
			 Armenia 20 15 20 20 5 
			 Aruba - * 5 - - 
			 Australia 275 315 395 410 365 
			 Austria 270 145 110 75 95 
			 Azerbaijan 70 70 35 30 15 
			 Bahamas 5 25 5 15 10 
			 Bahrain 15 15 25 35 40 
			 Bangladesh 665 705 1,170 1,655 1.075 
			 Barbados 105 100 120 125 95 
			 Belarus 65 75 75 55 30 
			 Belgium 735 740 685 735 610 
			 Belize 5 5 5 10 * 
			 Benin 20 10 20 15 10 
			 Bermuda 5 * 5 5 5 
			 Bhutan - * 5 - * 
			 Bolivia 375 310 395 530 555 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25 20 15 10 10 
			 Botswana 70 70 55 35 45 
			 Brazil 3,890 3,370 3,740 3,895 4,190 
			 British Virgin Islands * - * * - 
			 Brunei 10 10 10 15 5 
			 Bulgaria 195 180 10 20 40 
			 Burkina Faso 5 5 5 5 * 
			 Burundi 15 10 25 20 10 
			 Cambodia - 5 - * 5 
			 Cameroon 60 80 260 140 140 
			 Canada 455 550 655 700 630 
			 Cape Verde 5 * 5 5 - 
			 Cayman Islands - - 5 5 5 
			 Central African Republic 5 5 * 5 - 
			 Chad 25 15 5 10 5 
			 Chile 65 65 75 75 75 
			 China (inc. Taiwan) 490 680 1,120 1,745 2,835 
			 Colombia 375 395 305 260 195 
			 Comoros * - - - - 
			 Congo 65 80 50 40 50 
			 Costa Rica 15 15 10 15 10 
			 Croatia 130 210 185 160 95 
			 Cuba 15 10 20 5 10 
			 Cyprus 25 70 40 35 30 
			 Czech Republic 70 90 70 70 75 
			 Dem. Rep. of the Congo 65 125 180 95 125 
			 Democratic People's Republic of Korea - * * 10 5 
			 Denmark 120 95 75 115 105 
			 Djibouti 5 * * 5 * 
			 Dominica 20 25 30 30 30 
			 Dominican Republic 5 20 15 20 10 
			 East Timor 5 * * - - 
			 Ecuador 265 210 200 150 120 
			 Egypt 140 125 175 225 200 
			 El Salvador 10 5 15 10 5 
			 Equatorial Guinea * - 5 - * 
			 Eritrea * * 10 15 10 
			 Estonia 15 15 25 20 15 
			 Ethiopia 65 110 145 170 105 
			 Faroe Islands * * * * 5 
			 Fiji 15 10 15 15 20 
			 Finland 25 25 30 45 50 
			 France 10,430 11,805 11,275 13,410 13,805 
			 French Guiana - - * 5 - 
			 Gabon - * 10 5 * 
			 Gambia 105 155 205 165 135 
			 Georgia 110 140 110 75 105 
			 Germany 895 700 625 635 585 
			 Ghana 1,245 895 905 1,085 840 
			 Gibraltar 5 * * 5 10 
			 Greece 305 240 275 360 310 
			 Grenada 85 95 85 80 80 
			 Guatemala 20 10 15 20 15 
			 Guinea 30 25 30 25 20 
			 Guinea-Bissau 10 5 5 5 5 
			 Guyana 45 35 45 35 35 
			 Haiti * * - - - 
			 Honduras 15 10 10 10 25 
			 Hong Kong 470 445 530 500 395 
			 Hungary 65 100 35 55 55 
			 Iceland 5 10 10 10 15 
			 India 1,255 2,160 2,930 3,750 4,480 
			 Indonesia 25 35 80 55 45 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 435 550 590 595 460 
			 Iraq 820 1,795 560 910 1,140 
			 Ireland 550 1,040 1,035 820 970 
			 Israel 255 305 350 380 290 
			 Italy 1,265 1,385 1,305 1,505 1,140 
			 Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) 25 50 65 65 60 
			 Jamaica 1,885 1,510 1,455 1,515 1,020 
			 Japan 150 180 145 125 160 
			 Jordan 60 90 115 105 85 
			 Kazakhstan 35 20 15 25 20 
			 Kenya 195 250 330 370 350 
			 Kosovo 1,515 895 545 280 210 
			 Kuwait 25 15 20 60 70 
			 Kyrgyzstan 35 20 20 15 15 
			 Lao People's Democratic Republic * - * * - 
			 Latvia 45 60 90 55 70 
			 Lebanon 90 75 130 105 75 
			 Lesotho 5 * 10 10 5 
			 Liberia 25 20 30 25 5 
			 Libya (Arab Republic) 90 110 140 320 230 
			 Lithuania 40 50 50 B5 80 
			 Luxembourg 10 10 15 5 10 
			 Macao 5 * 5 5 * 
			 Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of) 55 50 45 25 15 
			 Madagascar * 5 * * * 
			 Malawi 505 270 265 315 425 
			 Malaysia 1,520 1,705 1,550 1,695 1,230 
			 Maldives 5 5 10 5 25 
			 Mali 10 15 5 5 10 
			 Malta 35 70 35 40 50 
			 Marshall Islands - - - - * 
			 Mauritania 5 * - - * 
			 Mauritius 450 530 600 675 550 
			 Mexico 195 220 265 315 245 
			 Moldova, Republic of 135 145 270 100 95 
			 Monaco - * - - - 
			 Mongolia 175 225 155 140 185 
			 Montserrat - - * - * 
			 Morocco 50 60 70 105 85 
			 Mozambique 10 * 10 5 15 
			 Myanmar 10 20 15 35 20 
			 Namibia 130 200 255 180 150 
			 Nauru - - - - * 
			 Nepal 170 310 210 210 175 
			 Netherlands 655 630 575 515 425 
			 Netherlands Antilles * * * * - 
			 New Zealand 110 120 125 140 135 
			 Nicaragua 5 5 25 10 15 
			 Niger 10 5 5 5 5 
			 Nigeria 3,210 3,040 2,980 3,185 2,335 
			 Norfolk Island - - * - * 
			 Norway 100 95 90 105 105 
			 Oman 20 30 25 5 30 
			 Pakistan 1,915 2,920 2,985 2,865 2,690 
			 Palestinian Authority 10 5 30 10 20 
			 Panama 20 10 5 10 10 
			 Papua New Guinea - - 5 * * 
			 Paraguay 40 65 40 40 35 
			 Peru 30 50 30 30 20 
			 Philippines 230 245 420 545 395 
			 Poland 65 70 135 185 180 
			 Portugal 375 390 430 405 335 
			 Puerto Rico * * * * 5 
			 Qatar 30 35 70 60 75 
			 Romania 1,520 1,230 95 140 205 
			 Russian Federation 250 300 280 215 165 
			 Rwanda 10 20 15 20 10 
			 Samoa - * - * - 
			 Sao Tome and Principe * * - 5 5 
			 Saudi Arabia 50 40 55 105 155 
			 Senegal 25 20 45 50 35 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 145 110 100 70 45 
			 Seychelles 50 45 70 40 40 
			 Sierra Leone 100 135 230 145 85 
			 Singapore 145 170 205 250 140 
			 Slovakia 65 35 30 50 35 
			 Slovenia 10 20 10 10 5 
			 Solomon Islands * - * - - 
			 Somalia 20 50 40 35 30 
			 South Africa 1,965 1,835 1,795 1,565 970 
			 South Korea 235 325 335 260 220 
			 Spain 1,145 1,255 1,280 980 840 
			 Sri Lanka 520 835 625 450 475 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 15 10 20 15 15 
			 St Vincent and the Grenadines 70 55 60 65 65 
			 St. Lucia 130 130 160 155 120 
			 Sudan 60 90 80 60 50 
			 Suriname * * * 5 * 
			 Swaziland 10 5 20 25 20 
			 Sweden 175 125 120 115 135 
			 Switzerland 165 200 220 215 155 
			 Syria Arab Republic 75 135 100 45 55 
			 Tajikistan * * * * 5 
			 Thailand 230 235 355 405 365 
			 Togo 50 35 35 20 10 
			 Tonga 5 5 5 10 5 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 325 330 345 300 245 
			 Tunisia 25 55 45 35 35 
			 Turkey 965 1,930 1,595 1,210 735 
			 Turkish controlled area of Cyprus - - - * - 
			 Turkmenistan 10 10 35 40 45 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands 5 - - - * 
			 Tuvalu - - - - * 
			 Uganda 465 440 385 425 355 
			 Ukraine 475 435 435 370 365 
			 United Arab Emirates 110 135 225 200 365 
			 United Rep of Tanzania 110 120 145 155 135 
			 United States of America 1,545 1,875 2,000 2,480 2,710 
			 United States Virgin Islands - * - * - 
			 Uruguay 5 10 5 5 10 
			 Uzbekistan 40 40 55 75 100 
			 Venezuela 160 155 165 115 80 
			 Vietnam 75 175 380 575 595 
			 Yemen 25 40 30 45 35 
			 Zambia 70 80 110 120 105 
			 Zimbabwe 515 455 425 395 355 
			   
			 Other 950 690 865 1,780 1,855 
			   
			 Total 58,215 63,865 63,365 67,980 64,750 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ('-' = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (2) Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after notifying the UK Border Agency of their intention to leave prior to their departure, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organization for Migration and persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. Figures include dependants. (3) Figures include dependants. (4) Destination as recorded on source database. (5 )Provisional figures. Removals and voluntary departures recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken.

Passports: Forgery

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forged passports were seized by police in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: The information requested is not available. The Home Office does not collect information on seizures of forged passports and the Identity and Passport Service is not routinely informed of forged passports seized by the police. Such documents would not necessarily be UK passports but could be forgeries of a wide range of national passports.

Passports: Forgery

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested on suspicion of offences related to passport forgery in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: The information requested is not available. The Home Office does collect and publish statistics on arrests. Statistics are collected by the main offence group (e.g. fraud and forgery). However, the greater level of detail required to respond to this question is not collected.

Visas: Information and Communications Technology

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) interruptions in service and  (b) major faults in her Department's IT systems used to administer visa applications in Pakistan have been recorded in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: There have been interruptions to the visa service in Pakistan for a number of reasons over the last five years.
	 2006
	 Non- IT related interruptions
	We do not have any formal records of any interruptions to the service in Pakistan in 2006.
	 Major IT faults
	There was one major IT fault recorded in 2006 (duration four hours).
	 2007
	 Non- IT related interruptions
	The service in Pakistan was suspended for two to three days in early March 2007 to allow introduction of in-house biometric enrolment in the high commission in Islamabad and the deputy high commission in Karachi. The service was further suspended for a week in September 2007 to allow the introduction of the new commercial partner contract (which included the introduction of biometric enrolment by the Commercial Partner).
	 Major IT faults
	There were 14 major IT faults recorded in 2007 (resulting in interruptions ranging between 10 minutes and 23 hours).
	 2008
	 Non- IT related interruptions
	During the first nine months of 2008 there were a number of occasions when the visa application centres (VACs) in Pakistan had to close due to individual threats received against them. This did not result in a complete suspension of the service in Pakistan. The VACs in Pakistan closed pending a security review following the terrorist bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on 20 September 2008. The reopening of the VACs were staggered between October 2008 (Lahore) and April (Mirpur).
	 Major IT faults
	There were 20 major IT faults recorded in 2008 (resulting in interruptions ranging between 15 minutes and 29 hours).
	 2009
	 Non IT related interruptions
	There were no non-IT related interruptions to the visa service in Pakistan in 2009.
	 Major-IT faults
	There were 13 major IT faults recorded in 2009 (resulting in interruptions ranging between one hour and 28 hours).
	 2010
	 Non-IT related interruptions
	There have been no non-IT related interruptions to the visa service in Pakistan to date in 2010.
	 Major IT faults
	There have been six major IT faults recorded to date in 2010 (resulting in interruptions ranging between one hour and 38 hours).
	None of the above IT faults would have caused any significant delay to applicants who had applied in good time.